THE 'WINDOW of opportunity' for matured good neighbourly relations resulting from last week's official visit to Guyana by Venezuela's Foreign Minister, Luis Alfonso Davila Garcia, is to be welcomed as a necessary development as the two states peacefully pursue a practical resolution of the age-old dispute arising out of Venezuela's claim to two thirds of Guyana's 83,000 square miles.

Credit for the positive atmosphere that prevailed during the meetings that took place, culminating with a shared press conference, must go to both Davila and host Foreign Minister, Mr. Rudy Insanally. Their upbeat mood was quite evident.

The Insanally-Davila dialogue in Georgetown with their respective diplomats and technocrats in attendance, has clearly laid a good foundation for an expected positive meeting next week between Presidents Bharrat Jagdeo and Hugo Chavez.

The two heads of state will meet on Venezuela's Margarita Island during the Third Summit of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) being hosted by Chavez.

Jagdeo and Chavez, in addition to giving their own endorsement for improved Guyana-Venezuela relations in the spirit of the Davila-Insanally dialogue, are expected to sign an agreement that would grant access by Guyana to the `Caracas Energy Accord’ which was established last year by Venezuela to facilitate the supply of fuel on concessionary terms to Latin American and Caribbean states.

Investment for Development
The new `hotline diplomacy’ to be pursued by the Foreign Ministers of both countries, with a view to quickly and effectively address misunderstandings arising from any statement or action by either country, is a move that should prove worthwhile as the High-Level Bilateral Commission gets down to substantive issues under the Good Officer process of the United Nations Secretary General.

Since every independent state has the sovereign right to attract investment for economic development and to pursue such development in any part of its internationally recognised boundaries, it is understandable why Guyana cannot be expected to have the issue of investment for development in the Essequibo region be restricted to consideration by the High Level Bilateral Commission.

This would be to compromise its sovereignty while negotiations are still being pursued on Venezuela's territorial claim to the Essequibo region. Official rhetoric in Caracas over the years has had the effect of scaring off potential foreign investment in the disputed region under past and present governments.

Foreign Minister Davila himself has acknowledged that the UN Good Officer process was a useful tool in the ongoing efforts to find a mutually satisfactory solution to the territorial row. Therefore, while this process remains relevant, there is no valid reason why Guyana should not be free to pursue state or private sector-financed development in the Essequibo.

The hope is that with the Davila-Insanally dialogue behind us, and meeting of Presidents Chavez and Jagdeo to follow, there would be a new beginning in efforts to advance the work of the High Level Bilateral Commission and, generally, sustain the momentum for mutual respect and cooperation between Guyana and Venezuela.