LONDON, CMC – Commonwealth Secretary-Normal Patricia Scotland, Wednesday expressed “deep concern” on the choice of the Venezuelan Nationwide Meeting to undertake a referendum on the standing of the Essequibo area on December 3 because the tensions relating to the border dispute between Caracas and Guyana heightened in current days.
“The Commonwealth stands with the Authorities and other people of Guyana and with our companions in CARICOM (Caribbean Neighborhood) in expressing our concern over the questions within the deliberate referendum,” Scotland mentioned.
She mentioned that the Commonwealth continues to face for the rule of regulation and ‘reaffirms its agency and steadfast help for the upkeep and preservation of the sovereign and territorial integrity of Guyana, and the unobstructed train of its rights to develop the whole thing of its territory for the good thing about its folks”.
On Tuesday, the London-based Worldwide Court docket of Justice (ICJ) mentioned Guyana had filed a request for the indication of provisional measures within the border dispute with Venezuela, with Georgetown reporting that on October 23, Venezuela, by its Nationwide Electoral Council, revealed an inventory of 5 questions that it plans to place earlier than the Venezuelan folks in a Consultative Referendum on December 3 this 12 months.
“In line with the Applicant, the aim of this referendum is “to acquire responses that will help Venezuela’s choice to desert (the present proceedings earlier than the Court docket), and to resort as a substitute to unilateral measures to ‘resolve’ the controversy with Guyana by formally annexing and integrating into Venezuela all the territories at subject in these proceedings, which contains greater than two-thirds of Guyana.”
In line with the ICJ, Guyana is requesting that the Court docket signifies that “Venezuela shall not proceed with the Consultative Referendum deliberate for December 3, 2023, in its current kind,” and “particularly, Venezuela shall not embrace the First, Third or Fifth questions within the Consultative Referendum.”
Scotland mentioned that the 5 questions authorised by the Nationwide Electoral Council to be included within the referendum undermine Guyana’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, and their intent is opposite to worldwide regulation.
“Query 5 proposes the creation of the Venezuelan state of Guyana Essequibo and an accelerated plan for giving Venezuelan citizenship and identification playing cards to the Guyanese inhabitants.”
She mentioned worldwide regulation prohibits the seizure and annexation by one nation of the territory of one other.
“The language in these questions contributes to heightened pressure and threatens peace and stability in a member state of our Commonwealth Household and the broader Caribbean area.”
Scotland recalled that on the final assembly of the Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Guyana, held on September 17, this 12 months, the Group reaffirmed its unwavering help for the judicial course of underway earlier than the ICJ, chosen by the Secretary Normal of the United Nations beneath the 1966 Geneva Settlement and the Group continues to encourage Venezuela to take part within the mentioned course of.”
“The Worldwide Court docket of Justice (ICJ) decided in April of this 12 months that it had authorized jurisdiction over this longstanding subject, and the Commonwealth helps utilizing the ICJ to adjudicate on the matter. The referendum, to be held one month earlier than Presidential elections in Venezuela, goes in opposition to the spirit of peaceable dispute decision,” Scotland added.
Venezuela’s deliberate referendum and its authorised questions for the referendum later this 12 months have set off a wave of criticisms, with the Guyana authorities accusing Venezuela of making an attempt to annex elements of the nation’s territory in contravention of worldwide regulation.
The 15-member Caribbean Neighborhood (CARICOM) and the Group of American States (OAS) have additionally rejected the referendum, stating that worldwide regulation strictly prohibits the Authorities of 1 State from unilaterally seizing, annexing, or incorporating the territory of one other state and famous that the referendum would open the door to the potential violation of this basic tenet of worldwide regulation.
Guyana’s Nationwide Meeting will meet on Friday for an ‘extraordinary’ sitting to contemplate a movement in regards to the ongoing border controversy between the 2 international locations. The parliamentary sitting comes on the heels of a gathering between President Irfaan Ali and Opposition Chief Aubrey Norton. The 2 sides have agreed on a united entrance in regards to the border controversy.
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