Venezuela’s Ministry of External Relations has responded to Guyana’s diplomatic note in relation to the border incursion and the destruction of two dredges in the Cuyuni River on November 15 and the government here is studying it.
When contacted yesterday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Rudy Insanally told Stabroek News that the response to Guyana’s diplomatic note registering its concerns about the violations was delivered by a five-member delegation from Venezuela’s Ministry of External Affairs.
The Vice-Minister with responsibility for Latin America and the Caribbean, Rodolfo Sanz headed the delegation which paid a one-day visit.
Insanally said that together the Venezuelan delegation and a Guyanese team, which he led, reviewed the circumstances that led to the incursion, which involved two Venezuelan helicopters flying over the area where the two dredges were blown up by the Venezuelan military.
Stating that he was not in a position to divulge information at the time because the outcome of the meeting was still being reviewed, he nevertheless disclosed that they have agreed to set up a mechanism that would address the situation.
“We have agreed to set up some mechanisms that would not only address this particular issue but try to prohibit other similar incidents from occurring,” he said.
Asked whether the response was favourable, Insanally said, “I can say it is a good response.” He said that Guyana insisted that the incidents occurred in its territory and there was an assertion from the Venezuelans that they occurred in Venezuela.
In the wake of the incursions, Venezuela’s Ambassador to Guyana, Dario Morandy, had insisted that they had occurred within Venezuela.
In response to whether the Venezuelans had sent a report on the incident as promised, Insanally said, “They have responded to our note. We are yet in the process of digesting it.”
He added that he “would be speaking to the press a little more on the incidents after we have reviewed the outcome of today’s (yesterday’s) discussions.
The delegation also paid a courtesy call on President Bharrat Jagdeo at which time they reviewed bilateral relations and also spoke about the violations.
Venezuela’s response came one month after the incident took place and after it had been condemned by a broad cross-section of Guyana including political parties. The Commonwealth had also noted the incident.
The Venezuelan weekly business publication, Veneconomia had also called on the Venezuelan government to admit to a mistake, offer apologies and provide compensation for the damaged dredges which were owned by Guyanese miners.
The parliamentary opposition in Guyana had urged the government to go beyond the formal diplomatic practice of registering a complaint against the invasion and to pursue a more robust defence of the nation’s interest.
They had urged that Guyana internationalize the issue by invoking the relevant mechanisms of the various international organizations to which Guyana belongs.
Insanally had said that Guyana had not ruled out several options, which included taking the matter to the Organization of American States (OAS) and the United Nations but Guyana being “a good neighbour” was giving Venezuela the “benefit of time” to respond.
At the time of the incident, Venezuela’s Minister of External Affairs, Nicolas Maduro was not in Venezuela and after a week had elapsed he had telephoned Insanally telling him that he was going to send information as soon as was possible.
