Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Guyanese President Irfaan Ali shake hands as they meet amid tensions over the Essequibo dispute, in Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Thursday December 14, 2023. Photo: Presidential Press.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and of Guyana, Mohamed Irfaan Ali, have expressed their willingness to continue bilateral talks to seek a solution to the controversy over the Essequibo territory. The talks also serve to prevent escalation of the issue, following the bilateral presidential meeting held at the Argyle International Airport in the city of Kingstown, the capital of Saint Vincent & the Grenadines.
This was announced after the end of the first meeting held this Thursday, December 14, reported by Venezuela’s Presidential Press through a post on social media where they highlighted the handshake between both presidents. “Shaking hands seals the willingness of Venezuela and Guyana to continue the dialogue,” wrote President Maduro’s press office, “to resolve the controversy concerning the Essequibo territory.”
“We arrived in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines with the mandate of the people of Venezuela to advance through dialogue and peace,” wrote President Maduro, “defending the rights of the people and our homeland. We are seeking effective, satisfactory, and practical solutions, as mandated by the 1966 Geneva Agreement. I am pleased that CELAC and Caricom have achieved this step. We will make the most of it for peace!”
The meeting took place after a diplomatic initiative sponsored by the prime minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, who presides over the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), as well as an action promoted by the Caribbean Community (Caricom), in addition to the support of the president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
A few hours after both presidents left the meeting, Prime Minister Gonsalves—escorted by President Lula’s special advisor for foreign affairs, Celso Amorin, the Dominican Republic’s Prime Minister Roosvelt Skerrit, and Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley—read a joint declaration consisting of ten points agreed to by both Guyana and Venezuela.
The first agreement was that both countries rejected the use of threats or force to resolve the differences generated by the Essequibo dispute, or over any other matter, while committing to peaceful coexistence. The second agreement highlights that both states agree to resolve any differences per international treaties, including the Geneva agreement of February 17, 1966.
The presidents of both nations also agreed to continue dialogue on any matter of importance between both states, and noted that they will refrain from intensifying any conflict or disagreement.
The joint statement also indicates that the disputing nations will cooperate to avoid incidents on the ground that lead to tensions between them. “If it happens, they will communicate with each other, with Caricom, CELAC, and the president of Brazil, to contain it and prevent it from happening again,” states the text.
In addition, a mixed commission was created between both nations that will be in charge of addressing matters related to the territorial controversy, and to provide an update to both presidents within three months. As per this agreement, both states will meet in Brazil in the next three months.
“Both states agreed that the president of CELAC, Caricom, and Lula, will be the interlocutors, and the UN secretary will act as an observer. The role of Ralph Gonsalves, prime minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, will continue after Saint Vincent and the Grenadines departs from CELAC’s pro tempore presidency,” the joint statement reads.
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Below, you can read a full unofficial translation of the joint statement:
JOINT ARGYLE DECLARATION FOR DIALOGUE AND PEACE BETWEEN GUYANA AND VENEZUELA
On Thursday, December 14, 2023, in Argyle, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, his excellency Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and his excellency Nicolás Maduro, President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela held discussions on matters relevant to the territory in dispute between the two countries.
These discussions were facilitated by the Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Pro-Tempore President of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves, and the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica and President of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), Roosevelt Skerrit. Prime Ministers Gonsalves and Skerrit, together with H.E. Mr. Celso Amorim, Special Advisor and Personal Envoy of H.E. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, acted as main interlocutors. Also present were the Honorable Prime Ministers of the Caribbean Community, namely: the Honorable Philip Davis, Prime Minister of the Bahamas; the Honorable Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados; the Honorable Dickon Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada; the Honorable Philip J. Pierre, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia; the Honorable Terrence Drew of Saint Kitts and Nevis and Dr. Keith Rowley, Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
Attending as Observers, representing His Excellency António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Their Excellencies Earle Courtenay Rattray, Chief of Staff of the Office of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Miroslav Jenca, Under-Secretary-General of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs of the United Nations. In addition, the Hon. Mr. Álvaro Leyva Durán, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Colombia, and Mr. Gerardo Torres Zelaya, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Honduras, in his capacity as Troika of CELAC.
All parties attending the Argyle meeting (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) reiterated their commitment to Latin America and the Caribbean continuing to be a Zone of Peace.
Guyana and Venezuela declared the following:
1. They agreed that Guyana and Venezuela, directly or indirectly, will not threaten or use force against each other under any circumstances, including those arising from any dispute existing between both States.
2. They agreed that any dispute between the two States would be resolved following international law, including the Geneva Agreement of February 17, 1966.
3. They stressed their commitment to the search for good neighborliness, peaceful coexistence, and the unity of Latin America and the Caribbean.
4. They took note of Guyana’s assertion that it is committed to the process and procedures of the International Court of Justice for the resolution of the border dispute. They took note of Venezuela’s assertion of its lack of consent and lack of recognition of the International Court of Justice and its jurisdiction in the border dispute.
5. They agreed to continue dialogue on any other pending issues of mutual importance to the two countries.
6. They agreed that both states would refrain, whether in word or deed, from escalating any conflict or disagreement arising from any controversy between them. The two States will cooperate to avoid incidents on the ground that lead to tensions between them. In the event of an incident of this type, the two States will immediately communicate with each other, with the Caribbean Community (Caricom), with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and with the President of Brazil to contain it, reverse it and prevent it from happening again.
7. They agreed to immediately establish a joint commission of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and technicians of the two States to address mutually agreed issues. An update from this joint commission will be presented to the Presidents of Guyana and Venezuela within three months.
8. Both States agreed that Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves, Pro-Tempore President of CELAC, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, Acting President of Caricom, and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil will continue to address the matter as interlocutors and the Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, as Observer, with the permanent attendance of Presidents Irfaan Ali and Nicolás Maduro. For the avoidance of doubt, Prime Minister Gonsalves’ role will continue even after Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ceases to be the Pro-Tempore President of CELAC, within the framework of the CELAC Troika plus one; and Prime Minister Skerrit’s role will continue as a member of the Caricom Bureau.
9. Both states agreed to meet again in Brazil, in the next three months, or at another agreed time, to consider any matter with implications for the disputed territory, including the aforementioned update of the mixed commission.
10. We express our gratitude to Prime Ministers Gonsalves and Skerrit, to President Lula and his Personal Envoy Celso Amorim, to all other Caricom Prime Ministers present, to the officials of the Caricom Secretariat, to the CELAC Troika and the Head of the CELAC PTP Secretariat in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, His Excellency Dr. Douglas Slater, for their respective roles in the success of this meeting.
11. We express our gratitude to the government and people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines for their kind facilitation and hospitality of this meeting.
Dated December 14, 2023.
Preparation meetings
The delegations of Guyana and Venezuela have held multiple meetings in preparation for their planned bilateral talks. According to a report by Al-Mayadeen, separate meetings were held with representatives of Caricom and CELAC for both of Presidents Maduro and Ali’s delegations in the preamble to the bilateral meeting
The Venezuelan president had a meeting with the Caricom leaders, in which he reiterated Caracas’ position of maintaining dialogue within the framework of the 1966 Geneva Agreement and the “peace diplomacy” that Venezuela promotes.
Likewise, he noted the fact that the International Court of Justice may resolve cases, but does not deal with extant controversies, which is why conflict always remains latent. He emphasized that, like 119 other countries, Venezuela does not recognize the jurisdiction of that body.
The meeting
A handshake between Presidents Maduro and Ali signalled the willingness of both countries to continue their dialogue to resolve the ongoing controversy.
“You’re not going to shake my hand, okay,” President Maduro reportedly joked to President Ali, as a way to break the ice at the start of the bilateral meeting. It was then and there that the Guyanese president shook his counterpart’s hand and lowered the initial tension, according to witnesses.
President Lula’s advisor, Celso Amorim, stated that the meeting at the beginning was tense, but with the intervention of Brazil, the PM of Barbados, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the tension dissipated, and after a few minutes the conversation became fluent. They agreed to maintain the dialogue, and the next meeting will be once again held in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. No date has yet been scheduled, according to Telesur journalist Madelein Garcia, present in the meeting minutes before the joint statement was read.
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/AU
