| Discussions between Guyana and Venezuela ended late last night with an agreement that a technical team would meet within four months “to explore mechanisms within the context of international law to address the issue of maritime delimitation.”The high level teams of both countries were forced to meet owing to an armed Venezuelan Navy vessel detaining the seismic research vessel RV Teknik Perdana which was in Guyana’s waters,China Soccer Jerseys, last week Thursday.The Guyana delegation comprised Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett; Robert Persaud, Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment; Mrs. Elizabeth Harper, Director General, Ministry ofSigning of the Joint Statement by the Foreign Ministers of Guyana and VenezuelaForeign Affairs; Ambassador Rudolph Collins, Adviser; Keith George, Guyana’s Ambassador to Suriname; Audrey Jardine Waddell,Anthony Steen Dolphins Jersey, Guyana’s Ambassador to UNASUR; and Mr. Newell Dennison, Deputy Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission.A joint statement released by the foreign ministers stated that both sides recognised that the delimitation of the maritime boundaries between their two States remains an outstanding issue.In this regard, Ministers Rodrigues-Birkett and Elias Jaua Milano agreed to explore mechanisms within the context of international law to address the issue of maritime delimitation, the statement said.“They reiterated that dialogue and cooperation are the means for a peaceful solution of differences between States.“The Ministers ratified all the points of the Joint Declaration of September 30, 2011 in Port of Spain, signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guyana Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and the then Minister of the People’s Power for External Relations of the Bolivarian Republic, Nicolas Maduro Moros.”Nicolas Maduro Moros is now the head of state in Venezuela.Even with the resuscitation of the Good Officers in play, the two countries are still experiencing border issues.The crew of the research vessel, RV Teknik Perdana, was carrying out seismic survey at the time the vessel was detained and the captain was later charged. Although the coordinates recorded by the Teknik Perdana showed that the vessel was in Guyana waters at the time of the seizure, Venezuela claimed that Guyana gave permission to a foreign vessel to operate in that country’s exclusive economic zone.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had said that approximately 16:00 hrs on Thursday last, a Venezuelan armed naval vessel, the ‘Yekuana’, was trailing the seismic vessel,Basket Nike Air Max Pas Cher, the RV Teknik Perdana which is under contract with Anadarko.“As is known, Anadarko has a petroleum prospecting licence to search for hydrocarbons in the Roraima block offshore Guyana,Jerseys NFL Wholesale China,” the Ministry said. It was noted that Anadarko Petroleum Corp. is the third-largest independent U.S. oil and natural gas producer.The ‘Yekuana’ military vessel was acquired by Venezuela from Spain to join the surveillance of the Exclusive Economic Zone AB in Venezuelan coasts. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, upon entry into Guyana’s territory the Venezuelan naval vessel obstructed the research vessel’s passage, and requested that they change course and stop surveying.The Ministry reported that the crew of the RV Teknik Perdana, explained to the crew of the Venezuelan vessel that they were conducting a multi-beam survey of the seafloor in Guyana’s exclusive economic zone. The Venezuelan crew however insisted that the vessel was doing such work in Venezuela’s exclusive economic zone and instructed that the vessel switch off its engines and shut down its seismic equipment.Two hours later,Mens Air Jordan 3 Retro 88 White Fire Red-Cement Grey-Black 580775-160, the Venezuelan naval vessel ordered the RV Teknik Perdana, to travel at five knots in a westerly direction. The vessel was later instructed to increase its speed and given directions to sail to the island of Margarita in Venezuela.According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, “It was then clear that the vessel and its crew were not only being escorted out of Guyana’s waters, but were under arrest…These actions by the Venezuelan naval vessel are unprecedented in Guyana Venezuela relations.”In a release last evening, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, “With specific regard to the release of the crew and the vessel,Brian Gionta Jersey, Minister Rodrigues-Birkett said that based on information ‘provided by the judicial authorities, the crew and vessel is expected to be released within the coming hours.’”Earlier reports had suggested that the boat and crew were released but that he captain was detained and was scheduled to appear in court.On August 31, last, a group, called “My Map of Venezuela also includes Our Essequibo”, reportedly came to “carry out a civil exercise of sovereignty.” The group was accompanied by armed members of the Venezuela Army, according to El Universal, a newspaper in neighbouring Spanish-speaking country. |
