GUYANA presented “a good and decent case” during the long-awaited hearing on the Guyana/Suriname border dispute that began earlier this month in Washington, D.C., according to President Bharrat Jagdeo.
The oral pleadings by both countries over their respective maritime boundaries began on December 7 and were presented before the United Nations International Arbitral Tribunal on the Law of the Sea.
At a press conference yesterday, President Jagdeo refrained from going into details on the case but said “the wrap-up went very well”.
“…from the assessments given by our team, we presented a good and decent case and now we have to wait for the results of the tribunal…,” he said.
While confident about the strength of Guyana’s case and its chances of getting a favourable ruling, President Jagdeo had said two days before the start of the oral hearing that this country’s approach will be one that is “without recrimination or an adversarial posture”.
The hearing reportedly ended last week and President Jagdeo had pointed out that it will be several months before the tribunal delivers its award – perhaps around May next year.
The hearings were held at the Organisation of American States (OAS) headquarters building, a neutral venue agreed on by both countries.
Under the rules of procedure agreed with the tribunal, the proceedings were done ‘in camera’, a fairly normal practice and one where the pleadings are not made public.
Guyana’s agent in the oral proceedings was Foreign Minister Dr. Rudy Insanally while other team members included Sir Shridath Ramphal - former Attorney General and Foreign Affairs Minister of Guyana and Commonwealth Secretary General; Dr. Payam Akhavan of Yale Law School; Professor Thomas Frank, who previously served as an ad hoc judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ); researcher Paul Reichler and other attorneys-at-law Mr. Philippe Sands and Mr. Andrew Loewenstein. They were supported by technical consultants.
Suriname has laid claim to a section of Guyana’s territorial sea, contending that the boundary on the continental shelf and the sea lies along a line originating at a point in Number 61 Village on the left bank of the Corentyne River and bearing 10 degrees East of true North.
Guyana, in disagreement with that claim, initiated the arbitral proceedings against Suriname in February 2004, in accordance with the UN International Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The border row between the two countries escalated in June 2000, when Suriname gunboats blocked the Canadian oil company, CGX Energy Inc, from drilling for oil in its concession off the Guyana shore.
Failed diplomatic efforts, by Guyana and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), to resolve the problem led to Guyana resorting to the international tribunal.
The tribunal has to make two decisions:
* whether it has jurisdiction in the matter, as Suriname has said it does not and
* to make an award with respect to the maritime boundary dispute.