News

On the sidelines of the 148th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly, which brings together more than 160 Parliaments in Geneva, Switzerland, Hon. Manzoor Nadir Speaker of the National Assembly of the Co-operative of Guyana accepted an invitation to meet with Hon. George Volski, First Deputy Speaker of Georgia.

The meeting took place on Monday, March 25, 2024, and focused mainly on the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy. The Georgian Deputy Speaker, from the onset, enquired of the origin of the conflict and the status quo. Speaker Nadir explained the Arbitral Award of 1899, settling the territorial border and referenced the decision by the United Nations Secretary General to forward the controversy to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for decision.

He further explained that though the matter is at the ICJ for decision, there has been a build up of Venezuelan troops at the border and that Venezuela passed the December 3 Referendum to annex two-thirds of Guyana’s territory.

Speaker Nadir also updated the Georgian Delegation that Venezuela, last Thursday, passed a law annexing two-thirds, (that is, 62,000 Square miles or 140,000 square kilometres), of Guyana. The law imposes a fine of over 100,000 US dollars on anyone publishing a map of Venezuela which does not include Guyana’s Essequibo Region. This means that 125,000 Guyanese, according to Venezuelan law can be liable to this penalty.

Deputy Speaker Volski shared his concern over Guyana’s territorial integrity, and signalled Georgia's support for Guyana.

The Speakers agreed to continue to further parliamentary relations between the two Parliaments.

Also part of the meeting were Hon. Dawn Hastings-Williams, MP; Ms. McDonald, Ambassador of Guyana to Geneva; and Mr. Sherlock Isaacs, Clerk of the Parliament of Guyana.

The Georgian delegation at the meeting included Mr. George Volski, First Deputy Speaker; Mr Nikoloz Samkharadze, Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee; Ms. Khatia Tsilosani, First Deputy Chair of the Natural Resources and Environment Protection Committee; and Mr. David Zilpimiani, Member of the Foreign Relations Committee.