In wake of concern that Venezuela continues to build up its military presence in an area close to the border with Guyana, the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield has reiterated the US Government’s support for Guyana and this country’s territorial integrity.
Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield, who is in Guyana for the CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting, told News Source on Sunday that the US remains clear with its support for Guyana’s territorial integrity.
“We have been clear on this issue that we support Guyana’s territorial integrity and its sovereignty and we support the agreement on the divisions of the border that was made in the 1800s. Unless and until another authority makes a decision that that border is not acceptable. So, we have supported the ICJ taking on this initiative and we have been clear to President Ali and to the people of Guyana that their territorial integrity and their sovereignty are supported by the United States”, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield said.
In the past few months, there have been several visits of top US Government and US Military officials to Guyana, to meet and engage with Guyana Government officials.
Asked whether those visits may be setting the stage for the possible establishment of a US military base in Guyana, the US Ambassador to the UN, said there have been no discussions on that issue and she is unaware of any such possibility.
“It is not something that I am aware of, its not something that I’m aware that Guyana has requested, but part of the reason we are all visiting Guyana is because you are on the international stage now. Guyana is on the Security Council and as we speak, Guyana is President of the Security Council, and that gives them an international and global perch that they have not had previously, at least for a very very long time, and so part of my reason for being here, in addition to the CARICOM Meeting was to have discussions with President Ali and his Administration on how we can partner on the Security Council”, she said.
In December, CARICOM and the Community of Latin America and Caribbean States, brokered talks between Guyana and Venezuela. The Presidents of the two countries met in St. Vincent and agreed to a declaration that each side would do nothing to escalate or provoke tensions between them.
The ongoing CARICOM Meeting in Guyana is the first Heads of Government Meeting since those discussions took place in St. Vincent.
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