[www.inewsguyana.com] – President David Granger, during his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, called for the establishment a small states security system.
Mr. Granger stated that such a system should not only be set up to monitor but also preserve the security of small states.
“Guyana calls upon the United Nations to give real meaning to Resolution A/RES/49/31 of May 9th 1994 by establishing a collective security system not merely to monitor but, more so, maintain the security of small states. This Resolution is a manifesto of small states security,” said President Granger.
Granger noted that small states risk being subjugated unless the international community can demonstrate the capability and commitment to provide an effective deterrent against domination by larger, stronger states.
The President’s call comes as Guyana’s is facing a series of aggressive maneuvers from Venezuela which has an army forty times the size of Guyana’s and much more land space.
Venezuela’s renewed aggression came after a US oil giant – Exxon Mobil announced that it had made a significant discovery of oil in the Stabroek Block, offshore Guyana.
“The United Nations remains our best hope. The United Nations is our best prospect of peace. The United Nations is our best assurance of security for a small state. The United Nations is our strength, support and succour in our time of danger. We pledge Guyana’s adherence to the Charter of the United Nations,” Granger stated in his address.
The President noted too that Venezuela has retarded Guyana’s development by threats that are intended to force a small state to yield its birthright.
“Guyana’s border with Venezuela was settled 116 years ago. The whole world, except the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, accepts our border,” the President stated adding “for fifty years Venezuela has promulgated spurious decrees claiming our territory, the most recent being on May 26th, 2015, our independence anniversary, when it issued Decree No. 1.787 with specified coordinates purporting to annex almost our entire maritime zone. That decree constituted a reassertion of its claim to five of Guyana’s ten regions.”
It was made pellucid that Guyana seeks nothing more than the solidarity of the international community, the assurance of the Charter and the safety of international law.
Excellent speech… Proud Guyana now has an intelligent and articulate president who can put this case in front of the international community …. The thought of something as important as this being delivered by the previous president sends shivers of dread every time I think about it… Now we have someone with gravitas who can speak on the nations behalf…. Phew!!!
Great job Mr President ! Great Job !………Only the dum and dead could not have heard this simple yet piercingly and persuasive demand to correct ,impliment and uphold one of the most important tenants of the UN: Territorial Integrity of all Nations.