PM Rowley on Guyana-Venezuela conflict: We're not hiding

Prime Minister Dr Rowley said the government is not hiding anything regarding its stance on the Guyana-Venezuela conflict over the Essequibo region, despite questions over Trinidad and Tobago’s plans to access natural gas from Venezuela’s Dragon gas field.
Speaking at a media briefing at the Diplomatic Centre in Port of Spain on Friday, Rowley said the government wasn’t hiding anything and maintained the country’s alignment with CARICOM.
"I am not going to be moved by anybody talking about hiding behind…that is just not worth a response…there’s no reason to hide. “One of the things we have done…is ensure that our…international diplomacy is not open to reasonable question by people who are reasonable.”
“It doesn’t mean that because Venezuela has taken a position, it will drag Trinidad and Tobago. The bottom line is that it’s a commercial arrangement where there’s raw material, and we have put proposals to the owner to try and buy it.
“What do we do, just throw our hands up? These are all matters outside our control, and insofar as we can influence them, we continue to do so because we travel in hope and expect to arrive in victory.”
"Anybody who thinks that the solution to Guyana's problem is to call for sanctions, it would not be in the context of stopping Dragon...whether gas was flowing from Dragon or not, the difficulty in Essequibo will exist, it's a different issue."
Rowley said Trinidad and Tobago maintains relationships with both sides, and its position remains aligned with CARICOM.
“I would not for one minute shy away from the fact that Trinidad and Tobago’s position at CARICOM is that we are more effective, especially in matters of this nature, when we speak with one voice.
“I see no additional benefit with each member getting up and establishing his or herself separate and apart from the position they take at CARICOM, and have no fear that Trinidad and Tobago’s leadership role has not diminished, but circumstances and times are different and sometimes the strategy you will pursue on one day is not the most effective strategy for another day.
“In this situation, Trinidad and Tobago maintains its closeness with both parties and speaks to both parties without giving up any of our moral positions.
“That puts us in a more effective way of being an honest broker between parties where there’s so much daylight between them. Therefore, to prove we are big and bad by speaking loudly in one direction or the other, we will not diminish our effect in that way.
“There’s no doubt in any quarter as to where Trinidad and Tobago stands with this because we have been the advocates for a joint CARICOM position speaking with one voice.
“You’re right; when we had to go to the UN to invoke the UN Charter as protection, we did so as CARICOM. And when we speak now to Venezuela about its intention to Guyana, CARICOM speaks with one voice in the context of international conduct.”
Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Dr Amery Browne said Trinidad and Tobago would violate Guyana’s policy on the dispute, which is currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) if it were to “insert itself” via an offer of mediation or other similar measures.
Guyana’s president, Dr Irfaan Ali, said the country is preparing to defend itself following calls by Venezuela’s president, Maduro, to begin giving licenses for oil exploration in the Essequibo.

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