UN Security Council armed with ICJ provisional orders

Dec 07, 2023 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

– as UN Secretary-General urges peaceful settlement of border controversy

Kaieteur News – Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres has transmitted the notice of the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice to the Security Council, Spokesperson for the SG, Stéphane Dujarric told a news conference on Wednesday.

Addressing the nation Tuesday night following the threats by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to annex the Essequibo Region, President Irfaan Ali said as I made clear from the date the referendum was first announced, this is a direct threat to Guyana’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence, and in violation of fundamental principles of international law enshrined in the UN and OAS Charters.

President Ali said the measures announced by Maduro Tuesday night are in blatant disregard of the order given by the International Court of Justice on December 1, 2023 and that Guyana views this as an imminent threat to its territorial integrity and will intensify precautionary measures to safeguard its territory. “I have tonight spoken to the Secretary General of the United Nations and several leaders alerting them of these dangerous developments and the desperate actions of President Maduro that fly in the face of international law and constitute a grave threat to international peace and security,” President Ali stated. Also, he said Guyana informed the United Nations Security Council on the developments to take appropriate action.

Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres

“Further, we have engaged CARICOM, the OAS, the Commonwealth and many of our bilateral partners including the United States of America, Brazil, the United Kingdom and France. The Guyana Defence Force is on full alert and has engaged its military counterparts including the US Southern Command. By defying the Court, Venezuela has rejected international law, the rule of law generally, fundamental justice and morality, and the preservation of international peace and security. They have literally declared themselves an outlaw nation.” The Guyanese leader said nothing Venezuela does, however, will stop Guyana from proceeding with the case in the ICJ, or stop the ICJ from ultimately issuing its final Judgment on the merits of the case. “We will not allow our territory to be violated nor the development of our country to be stymied by this desperate threat,” President Ali said.

Guyana has lodged a complaint with the UN Security Council over Venezuela’s threats

Meanwhile, during the news briefing Dujarric said that he has been asked on a number of occasions, by reporters of about the situation between Venezuala and Guyana. “I can tell you that the Secretary-General strongly supports the use of solely peaceful means to settle international disputes. He further recalls that, pursuant to the Charter and to the Statute of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), decisions of the Court are binding and he trusts that both States will duly comply with the Order from the Court. The Secretary-General recalls the Order of the International Court of Justice, issued on 1 December 2023, indicating provisional measures in the case of Guyana against Venezuela concerning Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899. “

“The Secretary-General notes the Court’s unanimous decision to order Venezuela to “refrain from taking any action that would modify the situation that currently prevails in the territory in dispute”. The Secretary-General also notes that the Court’s order to both Parties to refrain from any action, which might aggravate or extend the dispute or make it more difficult to resolve. In accordance with the Statute of the Court, the Secretary-General transmitted the notice of the provisional measures ordered by the Court to the Security Council,” Dujarric said.

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António Guterres, International Court of Justice, settlement, Stéphane Dujarric, UN Secretary General

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