The governments of Venezuela and Guyana agreed on Thursday, at a meeting led by their respective leaders in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, not to threaten or use force in any circumstance, including those “derived from any existing controversy between the two States”, such as the dispute over the Essequibo that raised tension in recent weeks.
The meeting in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines agreed that the dispute between the two countries “shall be resolved in accordance with international law, including the Geneva Agreement of 1966”.
In the Argyle Joint Declaration, signed by the delegations attending the high-level dialogue, both governments commit themselves to the search for mechanisms that contribute to the peaceful coexistence and unity of Latin America and the Caribbean.
The following is the statement:
1. Guyana and Venezuela will not, directly or indirectly, threaten or use force against each other under any circumstances.
2. They agreed that any dispute between the two States shall be settled in accordance with international law, including the Geneva Agreement of 17 February 1966.
3. Committed to the search for good neighborliness and peaceful coexistence, and the unity of Latin America and the Caribbean.
4. Taking note of Venezuela’s assertion of its lack of consent and lack of recognition of the ICJ and its jurisdiction in the border dispute.
5 They agreed to continue the dialogue on any other outstanding issues of mutual importance to the two countries.
6. Agree that both States shall refrain from escalating any conflict or divergence arising out of any dispute between them, either in word or deed.
7. The two states shall cooperate to avoid incidents on the ground leading to tensions between them. In the event of such incidents, the two states will communicate with each other, with Caricom, CELAC and the President of Brazil to contain it, reverse it and prevent it from happening again.
8. They agreed to establish a joint commission of foreign ministers and technicians from both states to deal with mutually agreed matters. An update from this joint commission will be presented to the Pdtes of Venezuela and Guyana in 3 months.
Both states agreed that Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit (Caricom) and Lula Da Silva will continue as interlocutors and Antonio Gutierres (UN) as observer, with the permanent concurrence of Irfaan Ali and Nicolás Maduro.
9. Both states agreed to meet again in Brazil in 10 months or at another agreed time.
3. We express our appreciation to the Government and people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines for their gracious facilitation and hospitality at this meeting.
For his part, the head of state of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, said that the high-level meeting in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines with his counterpart from Guyana, Irfaan Ali, “was a good day of dialogue.”
Maduro published a tweet with the joint declaration signed on the island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in which they pledged to avoid threats and the use of force mutually.
