Foreign Diplomats serving in Guyana were called in to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this morning, where they were fully briefed on the latest acts of aggression from Venezuela and the country’s most recent moves at claiming Guyana’s Essequibo region.

Among the Ambassadors who met with a Ministry of Foreign Affairs team, was recently appointed US Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole D. Theriot.

Speaking to News Source, the US Ambassador while not wanting to discuss the matters raised in the meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the US Government’s reaction to Venezuela’s latest moves is being discussed in Washington.

The US State Department has already indicated that the Venezuelan referendum which was conducted on Sunday cannot be used to settle the border controversy between the Guyana and Venezuela. The US has repeatedly made known its support of the 1899 Arbitral Award that settled the controversy.

British High Commissioner to Guyana Jane Miller said the update from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was “very useful”.

The Chinese Ambassador to Guyana Guo Haiyan in comments to News Source said the Chinese Government hopes that the controversy could be dealt with peacefully, adding that “peace and development are important for countries in the region”.

Trinidad and Tobago’s High Commissioner to Guyana Conrad Enill said Trinidad and Tobago’s position is the same as CARICOM.

In a statement last week, the CARICOM Secretariat denounced the Venezuelan Referendum, stating that the Venezuelan referendum has no validity, bearing, or standing in international law, and could undermine the peace of the region.

The UN Resident Coordinator in Guyana Yeşim Oruç said the border controversy remains in the trusted hands of the ICJ. “The process is with the International Court of Justice. The Secretary General trust the International Court of Justice,” Oruc said.

Guyana’s Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud told News Source that the measures announced by Venezuela and the implications were among the issues discussed with the Foreign Diplomats.

“It was merely to provide an update to the diplomatic corps on the recent statements and the implications of recent statements made by President Maduro and to enlist their continued support, both bilaterally and multilaterally,” the Foreign Secretary told News Source.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Elizabeth Harper told News Source that Guyana will continue to brief the Diplomatic Community on the matter. She said while it is an unsettling time, she believes that citizens should be resilient as the Government continues with its work in the diplomatic process.

On Tuesday night, the Venezuelan President announced the presentation of a new map, incorporating Guyana’s Essequibo Region and plans to authorize oil exploration in the region in clear violation of the orders of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

In response, President Irfaan Ali said the move by Maduro is a direct threat to Guyana’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence, and is in violation of fundamental principles of international law enshrined in the UN and OAS Charters.

Guyana has already informed the United Nations on the troubling development. (Svetlana Marshall)

Related posts:

Tensions grow at Foreign Affairs Ministry over expansion of local team on ICJ border case Waddell to be reassigned in Ministry of Foreign Affairs shake-up Foreign Minister briefs US Govt. official on Venezuela’s recent incursion in Guyana’s waters Guyana not moved by Maduro’s latest pronouncements and recall of Ambassador -Foreign Minister Greenidge