Opposition Leader Norton supports Presidents Ali and Maduro Meeting

Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton, in a statement issued Saturday says the Opposition supports the meeting between Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali and Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro. Norton, however, shares that the engagement at the meeting should not be about the border controversy.

According to Norton, “the Parliamentary Opposition wishes to make it quite clear that we are not opposed to dialogue or discussions with the President of Venezuela as this could lead to better relations between the Governments and peoples of our two countries. Indeed, paragraph 3 of the Geneva Agreement recognises that ‘closer cooperation between British Guiana and Venezuela could bring benefit to both countries.’ That is why since independence Guyana has sought and promoted bilateral relations with our Western neighbor across a spectrum of issues including health, education, and other relevant areas of development. It must also be recalled that during the Parliamentary debate on the territorial controversy that the opposition insisted that the door should always be open to dialogue.”

The Terms of Engagement in the Geneva Agreement, which was signed on 17th February 1966, were specific to resolution of the border controversy. Guyana is no longer relying on bilateral talks with Venezuela to achieve resolution. In 2018 the David Granger/Moses Nagamootoo Government approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) seeking the resolution.

The Opposition Leader’s full statement follows:

The Parliamentary Opposition welcomes the action being taken by the international community to ensure there is peace between the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

The Parliamentary Opposition wishes to make it quite clear that we are not opposed to dialogue or discussions with the President of Venezuela as this could lead to better relations between the Governments and peoples of our two countries. Indeed, paragraph 3 of the Geneva Agreement recognises that “closer cooperation between British Guiana and Venezuela could bring benefit to both countries.” That is why since independence Guyana has sought and promoted bilateral relations with our Western neighbor across a spectrum of issues including health, education, and other relevant areas of development. It must also be recalled that during the Parliamentary debate on the territorial controversy that the opposition insisted that the door should always be open to dialogue.

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We believe that the meeting should seek to ensure the two states recommence bilateral discussions since they will open new vistas for good neighbourliness, and peace between our two states and peoples.

It is the considered view of the Opposition that the two Leaders could continue to explore the expansion of bilateral issues which could improve the lives of the peoples of our two countries and contribute to the peaceful development of the Latin American and Caribbean region.

THE OPPOSITION BELIEVES THAT THERE MUST NOT BE ANY DISCUSSIONS OF THE TERRITORIAL CONTROVERSY BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES AS THIS MATTER IS PROPERLY BEFORE THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE (ICJ) AND THIS PROCESS MUST BE ALLOWED TO TAKE ITS COURSE SO THAT IT IS SETTLED WITHIN THE CONFINES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.

The Parliamentary Opposition remains committed to playing its role in the ongoing relationship between Guyana and Venezuela and will always work towards the protection of the Territorial Integrity and Sovereignty of our nation.