SURINAME SHOCKED OVER GUYANA TAKING IT TO UNCLOS TO

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000195

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR WHA/CAR -- MSEIBEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A
TAGS: PREL PBTS NS GY
SUBJECT: SURINAME SHOCKED OVER GUYANA TAKING IT TO UNCLOS TO
RESOLVE MARITIME BORDER DISPUTE

REF: GEORGETOWN 195


1. UPON THEIR MARCH 2 RETURN TO SURINAME AFTER A VISIT TO
CHINA, SURINAMESE PRESIDENT VENETIAAN AND MINISTER OF
FOREIGN AFFAIRS MARIE LEVENS ANNOUNCED SURINAME'S INTENT TO
CAREFULLY STUDY THE CASE BROUGHT AGAINST SURINAME BY GUYANA
BEFORE UN CONVENTION OF THE LAW OF THE SEAS (UNCLOS)
REGARDING THE ONGOING MARITIME DISPUTE (BUT NOT LAND OR
RIVER BORDER DISPUTES) BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES. THEY
VOWED THAT THE GOS WOULD IMMERSE ITSELF IN PREPARATIONS FOR
THE CASE.


2. SURINAME, ACCORDING TO LEVENS, WILL MOVE QUICKLY TO
FORMULATE "A RIGHT COUNTER ATTACK" IN RESPONSE TO GUYANA'S
INITIATIVE AND WILL PRESENT ITS POSITION TO THE UN SHORTLY.
LEVENS ADDED THAT, TO ASSIST ITS CASE, SURINAME WILL HIRE
INTERNATIONAL ADVISORS, MANY OF WHOM HAVE ALREADY CONTACTED
THE GOS OFFERING THEIR SERVICES. SHE NOTED THAT THE GOS
WILL UTILIZE A PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED MAJOR SEMINAR ON
EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONES THAT IS TO BE HELD IN MARCH IN
SURINAME TO DISCUSS GUYANA'S UNCLOS COMPLAINT WITH
PARTICIPATING UN EXPERTS. SHE ADDED THAT SURINAMESE
AMBASSADORS AND OTHER EXPERTS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE
BORDER DISPUTE WILL BE CALLED BACK TO SURINAME SHORTLY FOR A
WORKING MEETING TO DISCUSS GOS STRATEGY/TACTICS.


3. ACCORDING TO THE PRESS, VENENTIAAN DENIED THAT GUYANESE
PRESIDENT JAGDEO HAD TRIED TO CONTACT HIM BEFORE GUYANA TOOK
THE STEP OF BRINGING THIS ASPECT OF THE BORDER DISPUTE TO
THE UN. LEVENS TOLD THE PRESS THAT SHE WAS SURPRISED AND
DISAPPOINTED THAT GUYANA HAD CHOSEN TO ACTIVATE THE UNCLOS
DISPUTE RESOLUTION MECHANISM, PARTICULARLY AS GUYANA AND
SURINAME HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THEIR JOINT BORDER
COMMISSIONS IN THE PAST TWO YEARS. LEVENS SAID THAT
SURINAME HAD ACTED IN GOOD FAITH BASED ON ITS HOPE THAT A
BILATERAL SOLUTION WOULD BE REACHED FOR THE ENTIRE BORDER
DISPUTE. SHE ADDED THAT, CONTRARY TO GUYANESE PRESIDENT
BHARRAT JAGDEO'S CLAIM THAT SURINAME HAS OBSTRUCTED EFFORTS
TO RESOLVE THE BORDER DISPUTE, SURINAME HAS ALWAYS BEEN OPEN
TO DIALOGUE.


4. IN LIGHT OF GUYANA'S CASE BEFORE UNCLOS, LEVENS DECLARED
CATEGORICALLY THAT GUYANA SHOULD VACATE THE DISPUTED
TIGRI/NEW RIVER TRIANGLE AREA AND THAT THIS MOVE MUST BE
TAKEN BEFORE DISCUSSIONS CAN CONTINUE ON THE UNCLOS MATTER.
SHE POINTED OUT THAT GUYANA HAD AGREED TO REMOVE ITS TROOPS
FROM THE DISPUTED LAND AREA IN THE 1973 TREATY OF
CHAGUARAMAS.


5. COMMENT. SURINAME SEEMED GENUINELY SHOCKED THAT GUYANA
HAS GONE TO UNCLOS TO SEEK A RESOLUTION OF THE ONGOING
MARITIME BORDER DISPUTE. SURINAME HAS ALWAYS SOUGHT TO
BUNDLE RESOLUTION OF THE THREE PARTS OF ITS BORDER DISPUTE
WITH GUYANA (MARITIME, RIVERINE, LAND) TO LEVERAGE CLOSURE.
IT CONSIDERS THE REAL BLOCKS TO PROGRESS (A) THE GUYANESE
REFUSAL TO RESOLVE ALL THREE ASPECTS OF THE DISPUTE AT THE
SAME TIME AND (B) THE GUYANESE MILITARY PRESENCE IN THE
DISPUTED LAND BORDER REGION. ONCE GUYANA RESOLVES THE
MARITIME DISPUTE VIA THE UNCLOS PROCEDURE AND FOCUSES ON THE
OFF-SHORE OIL FIELDS, SURINAME IS CONVINCED THAT THERE WILL
BE LITTLE LIKELIHOOD THAT GUYANA WILL HAVE ANY INCENTIVE TO
RESOLVE THE REMAINING BORDER ISSUES, INCLUDING THE ULTRA-
SENSITIVE (FROM SURINAME'S POINT OF VIEW) TIGRI/NEW RIVER
TRIANGLE DISPUTE. END COMMENT.

FAUCHER

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