The safeguarding of the nation's territorial integrity is of paramount importance to Guyana's foreign policy, says newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel R. Insanally.
Stabroek News
June 24, 2001
Speaking from his office on the second floor of Takuba Lodge where the Ministry is located, Insanally told Stabroek News last week that as Minister of Foreign Affairs he intended to enhance both political and economic relations with neighbouring countries.
His aim was to create a new climate in which greater dialogue could be pursued, based on mutual respect for each side, and in which all outstanding matters could be resolved peacefully and expeditiously.
"Our approach to controversy," he said, "has to be guided by the basic principles which govern states within the framework of the United Nations."
Insanally indicated that he had met with his Venezuelan counterpart at the recent OAS meeting in Washington and said that he was encouraged by the discussions they had had together. This had led him to believe that it was possible to resolve some of the issues, both old and new, and that hopefully relations between the two countries would move forward.
Despite the difficulties, Venezuela was an important neighbour and every effort should be made to take advantage of any available opportunity to promote understanding and the way forward between the two countries.
The minister noted that the style adopted by Venezuela in which it threatened to close the doors on Guyana's economic development had not been helpful. According to him, "the agreement reached in Geneva does not inhibit our development in any area. We will therefore have to make it clear that we will not be constrained in our right to development."
Regarding the other border issue with Suriname, Insanally said that he welcomed the spirit of cooperation which seemed to underlie the statement made by the Surinamese President Venetian in which he alluded to seeking the evaporation of borders between Guyana and Suriname. "We will be analysing and exploring the extent of that statement to take advantage of what it has to offer to put our relations on a better keel."
He mentioned that he had received an official invitation from his Surinamese counterpart whom he had met in Jamaica at the last COFCOR meeting to visit Suriname. It was his hope that this visit would take place sooner rather than later. One of the things he planned to explore with his Surinamese counterpart was the revival of those joint institutions which had been established to deal with relations between the two countries.
The minister added that the border committee which had been set up through the political dialogue between President Jagdeo and Mr Hoyte would have an animating effect on the work of his ministry which is tasked with the responsibility for implementing decisions of the government.
Insanally recognized that Guyana's foreign policy needed to be defined and refined so as to open up new vistas for cooperation with countries in the region.
Referring to the broadening of the international agenda and the increasing demands made on states, he noted that small countries like Guyana were hard put to deal with all the various issues.
The bottom line was to safeguard national interests, including economic and social development. Nations, however, found it difficult to operate in an interdependent environment. "One cannot cultivate only one's garden. We have to be concerned with larger issues such as the environment and drug trafficking."
Insanally said that he would like to structure the Foreign Ministry within the constraints of resources to improve the country's capacity in the international arena.