Last updated Sunday, 10 January 2021, 9:35 by Denis Chabrol
Joseph Harmon.
Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon on Sunday pledged his A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU + AFC) support for any fair and sensible action against Venezuela’s unilateral extension of its maritime border with Guyana.
“The APNU + AFC Coalition stands firmly and in solidarity with any reasonable steps that the people of Guyana are likely to embark on to protect Guyana sovereignty,” he said.
President Irfaan Ali said a day earlier that his government would take a “bipartisan” approach to deal with the issue of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. In his New Year’s Message, the Leader of the Opposition made a commitment to work with the administration on such matters.
On Sunday, Mr. Harmon joined all patriotic Guyanese in condemning the “preposterous decree” issued by Venezuela’s President Nicholas Maduro on January 7, 2021 which seeks to renew false claims to Guyana territory and ignore recognized international borders between the two states. ”
“This decree is mischievous, illegal, and can only serve to temper tensions on a matter that is resolved peacefully at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Venezuela, as a Member State of the United Nations, is subject to the jurisdiction and dictates of the ICJ, ”said Mr Harmon, a retired Lieutenant of the Guyana Defense Force (GDF).
The former Minister of State recalled that President David Granger’s administration back in 2015 “condemned and condemned” a similar decree issued on May 26, 2015 to unilaterally re-draw centuries-old land and sea borders and claim the right to hydrocarbon resources in the field of ‘Liza’. Mr Harmon highlighted that diplomatic and other measures by Guyana eventually forced Venezuela to withdraw that decree in 2015 which had sought to extend Venezuela’s maritime border to include all waters off the Essequibo Region and as far west with Guiana France and north as far as Antigua and Barbuda. “Shortly thereafter, the decree was withdrawn following the pressure brought,” he said.
Against a backdrop of Venezuela’s frequent lack of recognition of the ICJ’s jurisdiction to determine the validity of the 1899 Arbitration Tribunal Award, the Opposition Leader called on Venezuela to use a UN court to settle the debate. “Today, five years later, Venezuela is trying to repeat the same misfortune. We urge Venezuela to use the ICJ as the forum to present its case and to cease and desist from issuing these arbitrary decrees, ”he said.
President Ali on Saturday called on the 15-nation Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Americas to offer unity to Guyana against Venezuela.