President Bharrat Jagdeo held private discussions today with the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Patrick Manning at Whitehall. At a joint news conference held after by the two leaders, President Jagdeo gave a background to the Guyana/Suriname maritime dispute and his country’s exhaustive attempt to seek resolution prior to pursuing compulsory arbitration under the UN convention on the Law of the Sea.

President Jagdeo gave further assurances that there is no conspiracy against Trinidad and Tobago. He explained that the Exclusive Economic Zone Co-operation Treaty between Guyana and Barbados has been negotiation for two years and not the result of recent developments.

The Treaty provides for a Joint Fisheries Licensing Agreement, a Joint Commission for the Exploration of Non-Living Resources and Joint Security Arrangements in the overlapping Exclusive Economic Zone between the two countries. President Jagdeo explained that this agreement is consistent with International Law and the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

President Jagdeo said Guyana has always held a consistent position of objection to the Delimitation Treaty of 1990 between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela, and maintained that Guyana would steadfastly defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

President Jagdeo said that in his meetings with Prime Minister Owen Arthur and Prime Minister Patrick Manning both leaders has reaffirmed their commitment to amicably resolving differences and strengthening the integration process.

March 1st 2004