Guyana updates UK, Commonwealth on border case
President David Granger and Minister of Foreign
Affairs Carl Greenidge, pose with Patricia
Scotland QC, Commonwealth Secretary-General
during a meeting on the sidelines of the
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
in London (Ministry of the Presidency photo)
President David Granger and Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge, pose with Patricia Scotland QC, Commonwealth Secretary-General during a meeting on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London (Ministry of the Presidency photo)

SECRETARY-GENERAL of the Commonwealth, Rt Hon. Patricia Scotland, QC, and British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson were on Tuesday updated on the status of the Guyana/Venezuela border case which is currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by Head of State, David Granger, during bilateral discussions.

The President along with his delegation, comprising Second Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge; Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Audrey Waddell; and Guyana’s High Commissioner to the UK, Frederick Hamley Case; met with the officials on the sidelines of the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) being hosted in London, United Kingdom.

President David Granger and his delegation in talks with Britain Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson

Providing an update following the meetings which were held at the Intercontinental Hotel, Greenidge said Guyana expressed gratitude to the Commonwealth for articulating their position in support of the country as it relates to the border controversy on the international scene. “What is unfolding now, what the ICJ is likely to do in terms of the future steps,” he added.

Back in February in a statement the Commonwealth had welcomed the decision of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Gutteres, to refer the long-standing border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The Secretary-General recalled that at the September 2017 meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Guyana, Ministers noted Guyana’s concerns that this longstanding controversy has impacted on the country’s economic development.

President David Granger makes a point to Britain Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson during their meeting

The Secretary-General further recalled that at the last Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta in November 2015, the leaders noted that “the Geneva Agreement of 1966 between the Parties provides a range of mechanisms for an expeditious solution to the controversy arising from Venezuela’s contention of invalidity of the 1899 Arbitral Award.

The Heads expressed their full support for the United Nations Secretary-General to choose a means of settlement in keeping with the provisions of the Geneva Agreement 1966, to bring the controversy to a definitive end.”

Meanwhile, the work of the Commonwealth and new areas of focus, particularly the development of toolkits to assist in the implementation of key policies in member states, which is an initiative of Secretary-General Scotland, were also discussed during the meeting, Minister Greenidge revealed. Guyana’s Iwokrama Rainforest and environment protection initiatives were also explored.

The bilateral engagement was described as fruitful as the President and Foreign Secretary Johnson committed to strengthening the cooperation between Guyana and the UK on all fronts.

The Head of State discussed issues of common interest with the British Foreign Secretary and according to Minister Greenidge, “issues ranging from BREXIT to the challenges the UK faces to environmental issues and so forth, cooperation that is ongoing in terms of the security initiative and other areas” were addressed.

The Foreign Affairs Minister noted that these meetings precede previous engagements, including one held by UK Prime Minister Theresa May with Caribbean countries in relation to bilateral cooperation.

As part of the CHOGM events, President Granger is expected to meet with Mozambique’s President Filipe Nyusi and attend the Commonwealth’s Malaria Summit and Welcome Dinner, which is to be hosted by Prime Minister May, tomorrow.

Leaders at this year’s CHOGM are expected to consider a Commonwealth Blue Charter on ocean governance, a Commonwealth connectivity agenda for trade and investment, a declaration on cybercrime and revised Commonwealth guidelines on election observation in member countries.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.