St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves warned of continuing tensions after the ICJ rules on the Guyana-Venezuela border dispute. Gonsalves noted uncertainty around the ruling timeline while recent incidents have prompted international calls for Venezuela to avoid provocations. The dispute centers on a 1899 Arbitral Award that defined territorial boundaries between the countries.
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has indicated that tensions may persist following the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) ruling concerning the longstanding border dispute between Guyana and Venezuela. He expressed that regardless of the outcome, tensions are likely to continue. Gonsalves, who acts as an interlocutor based on the Argyle Agreement signed between the nations in December 2023, mentioned that the ICJ could render its judgment later this year or in early 2024.
During his weekly radio program, Gonsalves acknowledged uncertainty regarding the progress of the case and the time required for the ICJ to draft its judgment after holding hearings. He referred to a recent incident where Guyana alerted regional and international bodies about a Venezuelan naval vessel’s presence near its oil assets for several hours.
In response, nations such as the United States, France, CARICOM, the Commonwealth, and the Organization of American States (OAS) have urged Venezuela to refrain from further provocative actions against ExxonMobil’s Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel. Venezuela, however, has rejected President Irfaan Ali’s comments, accusing him of spreading falsehoods concerning violations of maritime territory.
Caracas claimed that Ali is concealing that the waters in question are not part of Guyanese territory, as they remain in a state of delimitation under international law. The ongoing dispute between Guyana and Venezuela concerns the Arbitral Award of October 3, 1899, with the ICJ cautioning against the potential “annexation” of Essequibo, a resource-rich region that constitutes approximately two-thirds of Guyana’s land area, where a significant portion of its population resides.
Guyana filed a case with the ICJ in March 2018 to obtain a judicial ruling on the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award, which defined their land boundary. The court has previously determined it holds jurisdiction over the matter and will eventually adjudicate based on the merits of the case.
In summary, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves highlighted the likelihood of ongoing tensions in the Guyana-Venezuela border dispute, regardless of the ICJ’s forthcoming ruling. The dispute’s nature and geopolitical responses from both nations indicate complexities that the judgment may not resolve entirely. The situation remains fluid, with external parties calling for restraint and Venezuela firmly denying alleged violations.
Original Source: suntci.com
