Forced removal of CGX proving costly for Suriname - Rohee
Suriname might have obstructed Guyana's plans for oil exploration, but it was a Pyrrhic victory in a world that condemns the use of force to resolve disputes. So said Guyana's Foreign Minister, Clement Rohee, at a press conference yesterday, observing that Suriname was having a hard time justifying to the international community the use of gun boats to move the CGX Energy Inc oil rig in June from waters claimed by both countries. Rohee said Guyana was making its own preparations for further talks on the maritime dispute, including explaining the situation to other countries. But proposals to the Suriname government had so far not initiated a new round of negotiations. "It takes two hands to clap," Rohee said, but noted that Suriname was busy with its anniversary celebrations to which Prime Minister Sam Hinds will be going. Rohee also recounted Guyana's participation in a CARICOM conference on the long expected CARICOM Single Market and Economy. While it was concluded that there was a shared perspective and fresh impetus to the concept of a common market it had been decided by the participants that more realistic time frames were need to achieve it. Additionally it was agreed that no country outside CARICOM negotiating with a member state, should get better trade arrangements than member states would. Rohee took the opportunity to bring up the matter of the ill-treatment of Guyanese visiting Barbados with that country's Prime Minister Owen Arthur. Rohee said he believed Barbados would now seek to address the situation, which had led to a number of complaints from travellers. Rohee also mentioned that the construction of the long-awaited CARICOM headquarters would start in early 2001, following the laying of access roads. And he was gladdened that a resolution outlining the concept of a New Global Human Order had been co-sponsored by 38 countries in the United Nations, where he was confident it would be adopted by consensus.
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