France has expressed concern regarding Venezuela’s military incursions into Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone. They urged Venezuela to respect Guyana’s sovereignty and comply with the International Court of Justice’s orders. The situation, which has drawn international attention, follows a Venezuelan naval vessel’s temporary presence near Guyana’s oil assets. Venezuela has dismissed Guyana’s claims, emphasizing the disputed nature of the maritime zone as they await ICJ rulings.
France has expressed concerns regarding Venezuela’s military incursion into Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone, urging compliance with international law and the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) provisional measures from December 1, 2023. In an official statement, France called on Venezuela to respect Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, stressing the importance of refraining from any unilateral actions that might alter the status quo in the Essequibo region.
In response to the situation, Guyana reported a Venezuelan naval vessel’s presence near its oil assets for approximately four hours, prompting calls from the United States, CARICOM, the Commonwealth, and the Organization of American States (OAS) for Venezuela to cease provocative actions. The U.S. warned of potential consequences for the Maduro regime should such actions continue, reaffirming its support for Guyana’s territorial integrity as mandated by the 1899 Arbitral Award.
Venezuela, however, has denounced the remarks of Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali, labeling them as baseless and asserting that claims of territorial infringement by the Bolivarian Navy are untrue. Caracas maintains that those waters remain in dispute and are not within Guyana’s territorial jurisdiction, emphasizing that the maritime zone awaits delimitation according to international law.
The issue is already before the ICJ as Guyana filed a case in March 2018, seeking a determination on the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award that defined the land boundary between the two nations. The court has confirmed its jurisdiction and will proceed to decide on the substantive merits of the case.
Earlier in January, the Guyana government voiced serious concerns regarding recent actions and remarks from the Venezuelan government that it considered violations of both the Argyle Agreement and the ICJ’s binding orders effective since December 2023. Georgetown highlighted the Argyle Agreement’s commitment to avoiding escalation of the territorial dispute, which stipulates that both countries should refrain from actions that could exacerbate tensions until the matter is resolved in accordance with international law.
In summary, France has joined other nations in expressing concern over Venezuela’s military actions in Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone. The situation escalates as Venezuela dismisses claims made by Guyana while both countries engage with the ICJ regarding their territorial dispute. The emphasis remains on respecting international law to prevent further confrontation between the two nations.
Original Source: jamaica-gleaner.com
