Territorial controversy…US has not ruled out military support for Guyana

Oct 06, 2015 News

By Abena Rockcliffe
The United States has not ruled out military support for Guyana when it comes to dealing with Venezuela’s challenge to the country’s territorial integrity.

Ambassador Perry Holloway being interviewed by KN reporter, Abena Rockcliffe

On Friday last, President Granger said that generally, when countries have territorial disputes or controversies even reaching the point of confrontation, larger nations rarely get involved. As a result, the President said that he does not expect the United States to get physically involved.
Asked if that is a good assessment of the reality, Ambassador Perry Holloway said, “Each situation is different; the circumstance that may bring about a situation at that particular moment is different. So everything is obviously evaluated on a case by case basis; but right now our focus is on peaceful resolution, continued dialogue and respect for international law.”
The fact that Venezuela’s most recent quarrel stemmed from the presence of US Company Exxon Mobil’s presence in Guyana’s waters was pointed out to Ambassador Holloway. He was then asked if the US response to the controversy has much to do with the fact that an American Company is caught in the middle.
Holloway responded, “We do have a policy to ensure that the rights of US companies are protected under international law or under the law of a given country they are operating in. We are an entrepreneurial capitalist country without a doubt in certain aspects, so we do support US companies.
“But we expect our companies to comply with international laws and norms so I do not think whether it was US Company or Chinese Company…that would not dramatically change our view on the current dispute.”
Holloway told the media that the US maintains a position that any efforts to address the boundary controversy should be through peaceful means consistent with international law.
He added that both sides should avoid any action that can complicate the ongoing efforts to reach a diplomatic solution.
The Ambassador also said that the US was pleased to learn that President Granger and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro met at the United Nations General Assembly along with Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. “We encourage them to continue that dialogue.”
Holloway noted that the land boundary was decided by an Arbitral award in 1899 and duly implemented by both countries. He said that it was only several decades later that Venezuela stated its intention to challenge the validity of that award and the land boundary.
“So we call on all parties to continuously respect the 99 arbitral ruling and boundaries unless or until a competent legal party decides otherwise or both countries agree on something else,” said Holloway.
On May 27, 2015 Maduro issued a decree, extending Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’s territorial waters. A map which was issued, accompanying the decree, shows that the claim includes the area where the US giant oil company, ExxonMobil is currently drilling for oil.
The decree gave notice that Venezuela intended to continue increasing the pressure on Guyana and to weaken this country’s resistance to Venezuela’s illegal claim.
Guyana now thinks that the best way out, once and for all, is for it to go before the International Court of Justice, commonly called the World Court.