UN Secretary General’s Representative Pleased With Border Dispute Talks

GEORGETOWN, Guyana CMC – The personal representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela, Norman Girvan, says he is pleased with the outcome of talks following Venezuela’s seizure of a vessel in disputed waters.

Girvan has also welcomed an initiative to suggest a series of further steps to address the border controversy.

“These steps could include a schedule of meetings to move the process forward over the coming months,” he said in a statement.

In a joint statement issued last week both governments agreed to more talks on a border dispute that prompted the Venezuelan navy to detain a ship charted by a U.S. oil company.

The two governments stated they have “excellent relations” and believe that dialogue is the best way to reach a solution.

Following talks, here, between Guyana’s Foreign Minister, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, and Venezuelan counterpart, Elias Jaua Milano, it was reported that the discussions were aimed at “advancing the bilateral political dialogue in light of the recent event”.

Georgetown described the incident as “unprecedented in Guyana-Venezuela relations” insisting that the seismic vessel, the RV Teknik Perdana, was in “Guyana’s waters when this regrettable incident took place.”

The Donald Ramotar government said it is “of the firm belief that the actions taken by the Venezuelan navy vessel constitute a serious threat to the peace of this sub-region and the Government of Guyana therefore strongly condemns the actions taken by the Venezuelan frigate”.

But Caracas insisted otherwise and according to the joint statement, the ministers “expressed their satisfaction over the excellent relations which have developed between the two nations under the Presidency of Donald Ramotar and Nicolas Maduro Moros.”

According to Girvan, he looks forward to providing the Foreign Ministers with suggestions to move forward in the coming weeks and discussing them individually in the near future.