Venezuelan United Nations Ambassador Samuel Moncada. File photo.
Venezuela ratifies its commitment to defend its sovereignty over Essequibo while reiterating the call to the Cooperative Republic of Guyana to return to the negotiating table to make effective the practical, acceptable and satisfactory solution by both parties to the territorial dispute, as stipulated in the 1966 Geneva Agreement.
This was said in a statement read by the permanent representative of Venezuela to the United Nations (UN), Samuel Moncada, who attended a meeting this Tuesday, June 11, at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to discuss the issue of the territorial dispute over the Essequibo territory.
Estamos en la Corte Internacional de Justicia por instrucciones del Presidente Nicolás Maduro y de nuestro pueblo. Vinimos a defender nuestra Guayana Esequiba. Lo haremos siempre donde sea posible y necesario. pic.twitter.com/FHslkLIX6e
— Samuel Moncada (@SMoncada_VEN) June 11, 2024
In the text, read by the Venezuelan diplomat, it is reiterated that Venezuela will not recognize any decision that may be issued by the ICJ on the territorial controversy over the Essequibo, while reiterating Venezuela’s attachment to what is established in the Geneva Agreement.
Moncada said, “The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reiterates that the Geneva Agreement is the regulatory framework, which must be followed in good faith by the parties in accordance with international law to put an end to the territorial controversy.”
He added that on December 3, 2023, the Venezuelan people gave a clear mandate to “defend the rights that, since its birth, correspond to Venezuela over Guayana Esequiba, and in compliance with that mandate Venezuela has exercised and will continue to exercise the defense of historical truth in all spaces,” this was in reference to the referendum held in Venezuela in which the majority of the Venezuelans overwhelmingly endorse the Venezuelan approach towards the dispute.
Below is the unofficial translation of the statement:
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reports on its participation this June 11, 2024, in a meeting convened by the president of the International Court of Justice to discuss the next steps of the process unilaterally concealed by the Cooperative Republic of Guyana before this instance, in clear ignorance and transgression of the Geneva Agreement and international legality.
During the aforementioned meeting, Venezuela reiterated its historical position of not recognizing the jurisdiction of the court in the territorial controversy over Guayana Esequiba, nor the decision it may adopt on this matter, therefore its attendance at this meeting in no way implies consent of Venezuela nor the recognition of said jurisdiction.
On December 3, 2023, the Venezuelan people gave a clear forceful mandate to defend the rights that since its birth corresponded to Venezuela over the territory of Guayana Esequiba, in compliance with such mandate and express guidelines by the head of state, Venezuela has exercised and will continue to defend historical truth in all spaces.
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reiterates that the Geneva Agreement is the regulatory framework that must be complied with in good faith by the parties in accordance with international law in order to put an end to the territorial dispute through a practical, acceptable and satisfactory arrangement for all parties.
Finally, Venezuela ratifies its solid commitment to defend the territorial integrity and national sovereignty over Guyana Esequiba, while making a new call to the Cooperative Republic of Guyana to return to the negotiating table to make effective the practical, acceptable and satisfactory solution for both parties according to what they committed to in the Geneva Agreement.
The Venezuelan sun rises in the Essequibo
The Hague, June 11, 2024
(Últimas Noticias) by Gustavo Rangel
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/MCM
