President lobbies overseas support for Guyana in border row
PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo is seeking international support for Guyana in the border row with Suriname that flared last month when Suriname gunboats forced out a Canadian oil rig drilling in Guyana waters. At a ceremony in Georgetown yesterday to mark Canada Day, he urged the international community to demand that member states of the United Nations stick to rules against the use of force in disputes. "In the face of persistent and recent external threats to our nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity, it is my hope that the international community will voice its strong support for the need of member states of the United Nations to uphold the principles enshrined in the Charter of that organisation, particularly as they relate to the use of force and the peaceful settlement of disputes", he said. The President spoke at the 133rd anniversary celebrations of Canada's coming into being as a dominion at a reception Canadian High Commissioner Jacques Crete hosted at the High Commission. Mr Jagdeo maintained that it was his government's bounden duty to protect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation and that it remains committed to doing so. Guyana and Suriname are members of the UN. They also both belong to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and President Jagdeo will be bringing up the dispute at the summit opening in Canouan, St Vincent and the Grenadines tomorrow. Guyana is seeking the return of the CGX Energy Inc. rig to the site but no agreement was reached after three ministerial meetings between the two countries. The Office of the President in a statement yesterday said Mr Jagdeo will be seeking "full support" from CARICOM leaders at the summit for the return of the rig to this country's territory. He is to address the summit opening tomorrow afternoon. CGX President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Kerry Sully and Director, Mr Denis Clement were at the Canada Day reception yesterday. Guyana has also condemned several incursions into its airspace by Suriname military aircraft. After the Suriname navy evicted the rig, CGX began drilling at the secondary Horseshoe site in the concession zone it was awarded by the Guyana Government in 1998. But it wants to return to the Eagle target which it believes is a world class giant oil field. Sully has said that if the rig is not back there by around the end of this month, it may be years before it could return to drill. Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, yesterday admitted that the capability of the Guyana Coast Guard to patrol this country's exclusive economic zone offshore can be improved. He told a news conference moves were under way to give some priority to allocating resources in this direction but could not give details at this point. The Chronicle understands the Suriname gunboats moved into the area and forced the rig out after a Guyana Coast Guard escort vessel had left the site to refuel. Guyana has said the unhindered return of the rig to the Eagle target was its priority in the failed ministerial talks with Suriname.
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