Minister for People’s Power for Foreign Affairs of Venezuela, Yvan Gil received letters of credence from Dr. Richard Van West Charles, Guyana’s Ambassador to Venezuela, recently.
The two engaged cordially. A Guyana government release said Ambassador Van West-Charles affirmed the imperative of peace and cooperation as guiding principles for the relations between Guyana and Venezuela.
Ambassador Van West-Charles will present his credentials to President Nicolas Maduro later.
Minister Gil said, “We will work in collaboration with him and his team to improve effective communication between our countries.”
The countries have been working to improve relations after simmering tensions with the signing of the Argyle Declaration in December. The first meeting since the declaration was held in Brasilia under the guidance of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, Mauro Vieira.
Before the Argyle signing, Guyana had even informed the United Nations Security Council of tensions for potential action. Guyana’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett has taken up the Presidency of the Security Council for February. During her first press conference as President, Birkett said that Venezuela is not on the program of work. Further, she stated “In my national capacity, I can say that Guyana has not requested a meeting on Venezuela.”
While the two countries have conflicting positions on resolving the border controversy, they hope to build common ground through talks.
