The United States (US) has reiterated its support for Guyana in light of the latest decree issued by Nicholas Maduro of Venezuela where it lays out new claims to the water and seabed off the coast of Guyana, to the west of the Essequibo River.
Assistant Secretary (ag) for the US Department of State’s Western Hemisphere Affairs Office, Michael Kozak, said Sunday that the United States supports the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling that it has jurisdiction over the Guyana / Venezuela territorial border matter, viz. the legal and peaceful way forward.
“Maduro’s aggressive allegations do not change this, they simply disregard his neighbors and intrigue to the world. law, ”Kozak asserted in a post on his official Twitter page.
In addition, the U.S. Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, reiterated the country’s call for a legal, peaceful resolution to the border dispute.
Guyana’s Head of State, President Irfaan Ali in an address to the nation on Saturday rejected the latest decree issued by Maduro in its entirety.
Dr Ali said the Officer in Charge of the Venezuelan Embassy in Georgetown was summoned to Takuba Lodge earlier on Saturday by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd where Guyana’s “deep concern” was expressed.
“The Officer in Charge was told to convey to the Venezuelan authorities in Caracas, that Guyana, in accordance with international law, and an assertion of his sovereignty and territorial integrity, completely rejected the decree issued by President Maduro. Guyana will continue on the path of peaceful resolution of this issue in accordance with international law and the jurisdiction of the ICJ. We urge our neighbor Venezuela to do the same, ”said Dr. Ali.
The President told his compatriots and women in a televised speech from State House that Guyana continues to look forward to a peaceful resolution of the decades-long border dispute between neighboring provinces, in accordance with international law.
The President said Maduro clearly violated the principles of international law by unilaterally declaring that the sea near Essequibo Guyana belongs to Venezuela.
He believes the land and maritime claims from Venezuela will be resolved when the ICJ hears and controls in the matter. But Venezuela had rejected the recent ruling delivered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in which it ruled that it had jurisdiction to hear the case of the Guyana / Venezuela controversy.
In the ruling, ICJ President Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf said the court had concluded that it had jurisdiction to hear Guyana’s claims about the validity of the 1899 Award and related questions about the definitive settlement of the land boundary dispute.
The court decided that on January 30, 2018, the referral of the matter to the ICJ by the UN Secretary-General António Guterres was legal as contemplated in the agreement.
Judge Yusuf expressed remorse for the decision made by Venezuela not to participate in the hearings so far. He said the lack of appearance of any party had a negative impact on the administration of justice, but noted that the ruling even in Venezuela’s absence, was final and binding on both sides.
The Court President said now that the ICJ has claimed jurisdiction, Venezuela will be able, if it wishes, to appear before the court to present its arguments.