Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines stated that tensions will persist after the International Court of Justice rules on the Guyana-Venezuela border dispute. He discussed the ICJ’s potential timeline for judgment and recent incidents involving Venezuelan naval presence near Guyana’s oil assets, alongside international calls for restraint from Venezuela.
Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, the Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, stated that tensions are likely to persist following the forthcoming ruling from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the long-standing border dispute between Guyana and Venezuela. He asserted, “Whichever way they go, you’re still going to have tensions.” Gonsalves, who is serving as an interlocutor under the Argyle Agreement, noted that the ICJ may issue its judgment later this year or early next year.
During a recent radio program, Prime Minister Gonsalves expressed uncertainty regarding the status of the litigation, mentioning that the ICJ requires adequate time to draft its judgment after having conducted hearings. He referenced an incident where Guyana notified CARICOM and the international community about the presence of a Venezuelan naval vessel near its oil assets.
The presence of the Venezuelan vessel, which remained close to Guyana’s oil operations for approximately four hours, has prompted calls from various entities including the United States, France, CARICOM, the Commonwealth, and the Organization of American States (OAS). These calls urged Venezuela to refrain from provocative actions directed at ExxonMobil’s Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel.
In response, the Venezuelan government rejected the claims put forth by Guyana’s President, Irfaan Ali, labeling them “baseless.” Caracas stated that Ali is attempting to conceal the status of the maritime zone, which it argues remains undetermined in alignment with international law. The ICJ is currently examining the legitimacy of the Arbitral Award from October 3, 1899, which defined the boundary between the two nations.
The matter, initiated by Guyana in March 2018, calls upon the ICJ to affirm the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award concerning the land boundary. The court has already established its authority to adjudicate on this issue and will adjudge the matter based on the merits of the ongoing case.
In conclusion, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines has emphasized that regardless of the International Court of Justice’s ruling on the Guyana-Venezuela border dispute, tensions are anticipated to continue. He highlighted recent provocations by Venezuela and the response from international bodies, underlining the complexities inherent in this geopolitical issue as the court moves towards making its decision.
Original Source: www.jamaicaobserver.com
