Guyana informs Japan of Venezuela’s aggression

Guyana has informed the Japanese government of Venezuela’s recent aggressive postures, including its illegal referendum, towards the English-speaking country as both sides have pledged to work together on a number of global security challenges as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

Policy consultations are underway in Tokyo, Japan where Guyana is represented by Foreign Secretary and High Representative for UN Security Council Affairs, Robert Persaud. These consultations involved senior officials of the Japanese government and its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Secretary Persaud held discussions with Japan’s Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Fukazawa Yoichi on enhancing Guyana-Japan bilateral relations.

Persaud told the News Room that Japan has endorsed the respect for territorial integrity and international law.

Guyana has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for provisional measures given the decision of the Venezuelan government to seek a mandate from its people to seize a large portion of Guyanese territory.

The ICJ will hold public hearings on November 14 on Guyana’s application. Already though, Guyana’s lawmakers have strongly denounced the referendum set for December 3, 2023, through a series of declarations at an Extraordinary sitting of the National Assembly on Monday.

Guyana has issued repeated statements denouncing the aggressive new measures taken by Venezuela in furtherance of its groundless and unlawful territorial claim to Guyana’s Essequibo Region.

Guyana insists, as does CARICOM, the Secretaries-General of the United Nations and Organization of American States, and the entire international community, that the controversy over the validity of the Arbitral Award and the land boundary must be resolved by the International Court of Justice, which will assure a just, peaceful, binding and permanent solution to this matter, in accordance with international law.