Venezuela To Guyana: Reject Outside Interference In Border Row

Brasília, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Jan, 2024) Venezuela called on Guyana Thursday to reject outside interference in their simmering dispute over the oil-rich Essequibo region, as the two sides met in a new bid to de-escalate tensions.

The comment came after the countries' territorial dispute escalated last month when the US held joint military exercises with Guyana and Britain sent a warship to Guyanese waters, prompting Venezuela to launch a "defensive" military deployment.

"Let us flatly reject the possibility of third parties interfering in or benefiting from any debate or dispute between Guyana and Venezuela," Foreign Minister Yvan Gil told his Guyanese counterpart, Hugh Hilton Todd, as the pair held talks in Brazil.

Gil said the talks had been a "very frank discussion," and called for a "roadmap" to resolve the crisis.

The meeting was the first high-level sit-down on the disputed region since Presidents Irfaan Ali and Nicolas Maduro held a crisis summit in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines last month.

Todd reiterated Guyana's position that the dispute is for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to resolve -- a venue Venezuela has rejected.

"Guyana remains committed to resolving the controversy... in a very peaceful manner," he said after the talks, which were mediated by Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira.

"Today's event is to actually flesh out those areas where we have commonality... and mutual interests," he added, citing trade, migration and the environment.