Talks set for Suriname/Guyana border commissions
Stabroek News
March 9, 2003
The National Border Commissions of Guyana and Suriname are to resume consideration of the recommendations on best practices for joint exploration and exploitation of marine resources in the disputed areas.
The recommendations were submitted by a sub-committee which was mandated to look at the best practices around the world and to make recommendations to the Border Commissions on those that could be adapted for the area off the Corentyne coast which Suriname is claiming as its territory.
When the Commissions met in Suriname last October it was agreed that they would have resumed their discussions in Georgetown before the end of January but a number of scheduling difficulties prevented the meeting from being convened before now.
In June 2001, two Surinamese gunboats forced the removal of an oil rig owned by the Canadian company CGX Energy, from its drilling position in Guyana’s territorial waters.
In January 2002, during a visit to Suriname, President Jagdeo and his host, Surinamese President Ronald Venetiaan agreed to consider joint exploration and exploitation of the resources in the disputed area pending the resolution of the maritime boundary between the two countries.
They had set deadlines for the Border Commissions to meet and consider this issue but for one reason or the other those deadlines have not been met.
President Venetiaan had told a press conference in July 2002 that the issue was complicated and both governments had to take account of the views of groups in their own countries, which opposed the idea.
