Mitchell hopes CARICOM can resolve Guyana-Suriname border row
From Sharief Khan in Canouan
HOST Prime Minister, Sir James Mitchell, is hoping the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) summit opening today, can help resolve the border dispute between Guyana and Suriname which will be on the agenda of the heads. "I expect that the thorny issues, like the Guyana-Suriname problem will be addressed and we don't have to go outside the Caribbean to resolve that," Sir James told the Chronicle as he welcomed other heads and delegations to this scenic, mountainous, resort island. Asked if he had a position on the use of force by one member state against another in a dispute, Sir James said: "Now is not the time to talk about hostility; now is the time to talk about making sure that we resolve disputes." He and President Bharrat Jagdeo embraced warmly as the Guyana delegation arrived just after 16:00 hrs. Mr Jagdeo is to address the opening of the summit this afternoon and is expected to reiterate Guyana's stand that Suriname had violated its territorial integrity by the gunboat action against the Canadian CGX rig on June 3. Foreign Minister, Clement Rohee told the Chronicle Guyana is "looking for solidarity in respect to the problem with Suriname." "We hope the heads will take a very firm stand in relation to the question of the use of force or non-use of force in the settlement of disputes," he said. Rohee said getting the rig back to the site from which the Suriname Navy forced it is on the agenda and "we hope (CARICOM) heads will discuss it in caucus." "Whether the rig will go back or not is a matter that will depend on the outcome of the discussions that will take place at the level of the heads," he said. But Rohee stressed, "We are still maintaining that that's a number one priority for us as well as the whole question of the joint utilisation of the resources" in the area Suriname is claiming. Also, in the Guyana delegation are Information Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Ambassadors Rudy Collins and Elisabeth Harper, and Information Liaison to the President, Robert Persaud. Sir James told the Chronicle Suriname President Jules Wijdenbosch is due here today and summit sources said he is bringing a 20-member delegation. Commonwealth Secretary General, Don McKinnon, who is attending the summit, told the Chronicle the Commonwealth, and especially the Secretariat "and myself are very very sensitive to these border issues." He said he is convening a meeting in London later this month of the High Commissioners from countries on a special Commonwealth Ministerial grouping "which relates to these border problems." This is to set the ground for a meeting of the ministers in New York in September, McKinnon said. He noted that the committee is looking at particularly the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy and it is up to Guyana "whether they wish to introduce Suriname also into this particular ministerial meeting." McKinnon said he will be meeting some of the ministers here on the issue. The summit is being held at the Carenage Bay Resort here.
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