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Guyana – Venezuela dispute: Maduro invites Granger to ‘one-on-one’ meeting
In a bid to reduce tensions between the two countries, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has extended an invitation to President David Granger to a one on one meeting ahead of addressing world leaders at the 70th UN General Assembly meeting in New York on Tuesday.
A statement from Venezuela’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Maduro extended the call to Granger to facilitate a meeting “in which they can find a positive way to clear obstacles in relations between the two governments.”
The state owned Guyana Chronicle newspaper says the statement dated, was issued on the same day that the Government of Guyana announced what it described as “aggressive” activities at the Guyana-Venezuela border and on the Cuyuni River.
Approximately 200 military troops have been participating in what the Venezuelan Minister of Defence called “operational exercises”.
The Venezuelan President said he is prepared to undertake all diplomatic actions with the aim of resolving the border controversy but maintained that Venezuela has a legitimate claim of Guyana’s Essequibo Region.
Maduro said his country has always respected and supported Guyana.
“We love and respect the people of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana – Venezuela has been the country that has most helped Guyana in its history, since it was the site of British Guiana,” he said.
But the Venezuelan doubted whether the president and people of Guyana were equally affectionate towards the people of Venezuela.
The Venezuelan leader believes that “imperial centers are reviving international threats to spark a conflict with Guyana through the ‘Operation Pincer’ against the Bolivarian Revolution.”
“But against this new attack by international law, I aspire, hope and fight for Venezuela to recover its Guyana Essequibo, in peace,” he added.
