An opportunity for potential mediation has been issued by St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves and accepted by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Guyana’s head of state Irfaan Ali. Both leaders have accepted invitation from the Office of the Prime Minister in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Their responses indicated yesterday that the countries have agreed to a meeting on Thursday at 10 a.m. in St Vincent.
The December 9 letter, which started “Dear Irfaan and Nicolas” and was signed “Ralph”, was shared by Gonsalves’ office.
Prime Minister Gonzales called on Maduro and Ali to summon “the wisdom of Solomon” and reminded both that they were on the public record, committing to maintaining the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace.
The veteran Caribbean leader said: “Both of you have agreed with me for such a meeting to be held under the auspices of CELAC of which St Vincent and the Grenadines is the Pro-Tempore President and Caricom of which the current chairman is the Commonwealth of Dominica,” . His letter also noted that Maduro and Ali have requested “distinguished presence of the esteemed President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, His Excellency Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva”.
The letter from Gonzales was careful to acknowledge both countries position on the controversial land dispute: “We are cognizant, too, that the government of Venezuela has rejected the path of the ICJ as the modality for resolution,”
The letter also noted that the Parliament of Guyana has “unanimously instructed the President of Guyana not to discuss the border controversy with the government of Venezuela”.