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Venezuela releases oil exploration vessel detained in disputed Guyana waters

Tuesday, October 15th 2013 - 18:04 UTC
Full article 6 comments
Guyana insists that ”the Teknik Perdana was in its waters when this incident took place Guyana insists that ”the Teknik Perdana was in its waters when this incident took place
Venezuela has been claiming the Esequiba region as its own since the 19th Century Venezuela has been claiming the Esequiba region as its own since the 19th Century

The owners of a US-operated oil ship which was detained by the Venezuelan navy on Thursday say the vessel has been released. The Venezuelan navy had boarded the Teknik Perdana on Thursday in disputed waters off the coast of Guyana and sailed it to Venezuela's Margarita Island.

Caracas accused the crew of operating illegally in Venezuelan waters. Its owners said all 36 crew, among them five US citizens, had been released.

Owners SapuraKencana Petroleum said they wished “to express their gratitude to the Venezuelan government for caring for the safety and welfare of the crew, which comprises multiple nationalities, during the time they were at Margarita Island and also for releasing the vessel”.

The Venezuelan government has not given an indication as to why it decided to let the ship sail.

The Venezuelan foreign ministry had accused the Teknik Perdana of “carrying out illegal activities” within a maritime area claimed by Venezuela.

Its Guyanese counterpart said that “the Teknik Perdana was in Guyana's waters when this incident took place”.

The two foreign ministers were due to meet on Thursday in Trinidad and Tobago to discuss the ship's seizure.

The Teknik Perdana, which had been contracted out to Texas-based company Anadarko Petroleum, had been carrying out a survey of the seabed off the coast of Esequiba.

Venezuela has been claiming the Esequiba region as its own since the 19th Century, when Guyana was still a British colony. President Nicolas Maduro and his Guyanese counterpart, Donald Ramotar, said in August that they would seek help from the United Nations to solve the dispute.
 

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  • Briton

    Perhaps they wish the French bit as well..lol

    Oct 15th, 2013 - 06:17 pm 0
  • Pugol-H

    Surinam is after the SE part of Guyana.

    Next for Venezuela are all the Caribbean Islands on the Venezuelan continental shelf, all of course originally part of the Spanish Vice royalty of Chavainia.

    Now with implanted populations of squatters, whilst Venezuelans have been prevented from settling in, what has clearly been, and the world knows it, legitimately Venezuelan territory since 1055 ad.

    With over 100 UN resolutions, supporting Venezuela’s historic and legitimate rights, to annex most of the Caribbean and surrounding maritime spaces.

    Oh, and supported by Cuba of course.

    Oct 15th, 2013 - 07:07 pm 0
  • zathras

    In 1898, at Venezuela's request, an international arbitration tribunal was convened, and in 1899 they issued an award giving about 94% of the disputed territory to British Guiana.

    From wiki I know, but that's clear isn't it. So Venezuela doesn't like the result on an old binding riling. So trys to get it changed MUCH later, see Spain and the Argies.

    Oct 16th, 2013 - 11:47 am 0
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