[www.inewsguyana.com] – Three days after the Venezuelan navy arrested a U.S Ship searching for oil in the Essequibo River, the Guyana Defence Force issued two line statement, noting that the Force is in full agreement with the government’s position on the issue.
On Monday (October 14), the GDF said, “With regard to the incident relating to the vessel that was apprehended by the Venezuelans; please be informed that the Minister of Foreign Affairs is the appointed spokesperson on the matter. The GDF is in full agreement with the government’s position on this issue.”
Venezuela’s navy on Thursday (October 10) seized the RV Teknik Perdana survey boat, which was being used by Texas-based Anadarko . Venezuela said the ship had violated its waters. Guyana says the boat was well within its territory and Venezuela’s action has threatened its national security.
The meeting between Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Carolyn Rodrigues – Birkett and Venezuela’s Minister of External Relations, Elías Jaua is slated to take place on Thursday October 17 in Trinidad and Tobago.
The boat has been taken to the Venezuelan island of Margarita. Its Ukrainian captain Igor Bekirov was due to appear in court shortly to face charges of violating Venezuelan waters, local judicial authorities said.
There were about two dozen workers on board from eight countries: the United States, Russia, France, Indonesia, Brazil, Malaysia, Panama and Ukraine.
