The territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana is showing signs of easing. On December 14, local time, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Guyana President Ali held a meeting in the Caribbean island nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the two sides agreed to refrain from using any force and exacerbate tensions between the two countries in the Ethiopian region, and set up a joint commission to resolve territorial disputes.
According to Reuters and CNN, the leaders of the two countries met at Kingston Airport on St. Vincent Island on the same day, and representatives from Brazil, Colombia, the United Nations, the Caribbean Community (CARICON) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) also attended.
Guyana President Ali shakes hands with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during a meeting on December 14/Reuters
After the meeting, Venezuela and Guyana said in a joint statement that the two countries agreed "not to threaten or use force under any circumstances" and "not to exacerbate any conflict or disagreement arising from the territorial dispute between the two countries, either in word or in deed."
The statement said the two countries agreed to find ways to coexist peacefully and promote regional unity, set up a joint committee composed of foreign ministers and technical staff of both sides to resolve territorial disputes, and report on developments within three months.
The statement also mentioned that the two countries agreed to continue the dialogue in Brazil to discuss any issues affecting the territorial dispute.
Speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the meeting, Ali told reporters that "Guyana will not back down and will ensure that this issue is decided by the International Court of Justice and that the outcome is respected by all".
"We made it clear that Guyana is not an aggressor and Guyana does not seek war," Ali added, "but Guyana reserves the right to work with all our partners to ensure the defense of our country." ”
After returning to Venezuela late on the 14th, Maduro described the talks as a "diplomatic victory": "It was a productive day, but it was also tense at times, and we told the truth there." ”
Maduro thanked Ali for his "frank and adequate dialogue," adding that "it is worth defending the truth about Venezuela."
On social media X, Maduro shared a joint statement reached by the two sides. He wrote: "It's a good day for dialogue!
Recently, the dispute between Venezuela and Guyana over the oil-rich Essequibo region has intensified. The Essequibo region, which is now under the de facto jurisdiction of Guyana, is bordered by the territory of Venezuela and covers an area of approximately 159,000 square kilometres, accounting for two thirds of the territory of Guyana. The dispute between the two countries over the ownership of the Essequibo region has been a long-standing one, with Reuters previously saying that the dispute between the two countries has escalated again after Guyana discovered oil and gas near the region's maritime borders in recent years.
In September, Venezuela's National Assembly approved a referendum on the ownership of the Ethiopian region, and on December 3, the referendum was officially held, with more than half of the electorate participating, and 95 percent of voters supporting the government's sovereignty claims, according to the Venezuelan electoral body. On the 6th, the National Assembly of Venezuela unanimously adopted a draft law to defend the Ethiopia region. The case, filed by Maduro on the 5th, provides for the creation of a 24th state of Venezuela west of the Essequibo River, and Maduro also unveiled a new national map.
Venezuela (yellow) claims to the Essequibo region (red slash) and the rest of the red part is the rest of Guyana's territories/social media
For its part, Guyana noted that the actions of the Venezuelan authorities constitute a threat to the territorial integrity of the country and are contrary to international law. Ali vowed to raise the issue in the UN Security Council and inform the International Court of Justice, saying that he would invoke Articles 41 and 42 of the UN Charter, which provide for the imposition of sanctions or military action to restore peace and security.
Since then, the United States and Guyana have announced joint military exercises and Xi, and Maduro has also ordered the army to enter full combat readiness on the 7th.
A number of regional organizations and countries in Latin America have expressed their position to resolve the territorial dispute between the two countries through dialogue. Brazilian President Lula issued a statement on the sidelines of the MERCOSUR summit on 7 July, calling for the maintenance of regional peace and expressing Brazil's willingness to host a meeting to resolve the issue between Venezuela and Guyana through negotiations.
In response to the meeting between the leaders of Venezuela and Guyana, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on the 14th that Guyana and Venezuela are both good friends of China. China is pleased to see that President Ali of Guyana and President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela have held direct talks and made positive progress on the territorial dispute between Guyana and Venezuela, and appreciates the efforts made by relevant countries and organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean to this end. China has always supported Guyana and Venezuela in properly resolving the issue of border demarcation between the two countries through friendly consultations. This is in the interests of the peoples of Guyana and Venezuela, and is also conducive to stability, cooperation, and development in Latin America and the Caribbean.
This article is an exclusive manuscript of Observer.com and may not be reproduced without authorization.