The International Court of Justice led by its President Abdulqawi Yusuf Tuesday morning commenced hearing of the case – Arbitral Award of October 1899 (Guyana v. Venezuela) – to determine the question of whether it has jurisdiction.
The hearing is being conducted at the Peace Palace in The Hague with virtual presentations being done by Guyana. Venezuela has opted not to participate in the proceedings.
Guyana is being led by its Agent, Carl Greenidge and Co-Agent, Sir Shridath Ramphal. Representative of the Opposition, Gail Teixeira and Ambassador Audrey Waddell also form part of the team that joined the virtual hearing.
Advocates on behalf of Guyana, Professor Payan Akhavan – an international lawyer; and Professor Paul Reichler have thus far presented to the Court on the origin of the controversy and the 1966 Geneva Agreement. Guyana submitted that the Geneva Agreement authorised the United Nations Secretary-General to decide which appropriate dispute resolution mechanism to adopt for the peaceful settlement of the dispute, in accordance with Article 33 of the United Nations Charter. Reichler, whose presentation is ongoing, submitted that it was on that basis that the UN Secretary-General referred the controversy to the ICJ. In offering opening remarks, Sri Shridath told the ICJ that the case of significance to the people of Guyana who are united in their defense of their sovereignty and territorial integrity of their homeland.
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