Guyana lodges formal protest over Suriname's map gambit
-Insanally plans firm response
Stabroek News
March 14, 2003
The Guyana government has registered a formal protest with the Suriname government over its request to diplomatic missions and international organisations in Paramaribo to recognise a map of Suriname incorporating Guyana's New River Triangle.
Speaking with reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs conference room yesterday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Rudy Insanally said that in addition to the official protest the ministry had also communicated with all the countries and international organisations to which Suriname would have sent that note.
Stating that Guyana had to be firm in its responses, Insanally said that while "we open our arms in friendship to Suriname we cannot yield on the question of sovereignty of our country or the territorial integrity of our country." He said there were certain measures open to countries whose borders came under threat. Short of conflict, he said that Guyana was firmly holding on to the options that were available to it.
He expressed the hope that Suriname would respond to Guyana's request to retract and further desist from laying claim to the New River Triangle. The window of dialogue remained open, he said, adding that the Guyana/ Suriname Joint Border Com-mission which met earlier in the week had dealt with some of the issues confronting both countries "frontally, and that was the most appropriate forum to deal with issues of this sort."
Suriname, he said, was a good neighbour and was also a member of CARICOM. "We are permitted to turn every stone to ensure that relations with Suriname are not only normal but benefit both countries which are in need of development." In that context, he said it was unfortunate that Suriname had seen it fit to publicise its claim on the New River Triange.
He expressed the hope that the climate would remain favourable and all of the issues settled amicably in the interest of both countries and the CARICOM family.
Stating that Suriname was acting in accordance with its own perceptions, Insanally said that insofar as any action could impact on "our sovereignty, we reserve the right to take whatever action necessary. We will be monitoring the development."
Asked whether Guyana's participation in Carifesta, slated for Suriname in August could be an issue, Insanally said, "I don't want to cross the bridge. Carifesta is coming up and as far as I know we are committed to participating. There are other considerations. We would hope there are no circumstances that make us have us second thoughts about our participation in Carifesta."
Noting that on a previous occasion when a film on Suriname showing the map of that country including the New River Triangle had offended sections of the Guyanese community, Insanally said the incident was brought to the attention of the CARICOM Secretariat.
He recalled that when the map was shown at the COHSOD meeting to launch Carifesta, the matter was brought to the ministry's attention. Guyana raised the issue and requested of the CARICOM Secretariat that in future no such incidents would occur. Guyana, he said, was given the assurance that great care and scrutiny would be exercised to obviate any such future occurrence. (Miranda La Rose)
