Ruptly
"Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil called Guyana's arguments 'false' as the first International Court of Justice (ICJ) hearing concluded in the territorial dispute over the resource-rich Essequibo region. In a message to the media from The Hague, Gil argued that the conflict, brought before an international court, should be addressed through dialogue between the two countries. "We have seen a series of false arguments, a series of manipulations of the existing evidence, that the territory of Guayana-Esequiba is Venezuelan, trying to mould, trying with technicalities to seek that, through the International Court of Justice, which we do not recognise, to address this case, resolve a political issue, a controversy between two countries," he stated. "The only way, we repeat, is direct negotiation, to which sooner or later Guyana is obliged to sit down to negotiate with us," he added. The foreign minister also rejected the 1899 arbitral award, invoked by Guyana to support the border delimitation, denouncing it as 'fraud' and 'completely void and null'. He indicated that in this hearing they brought the truth of Venezuela that has been ratified and instructed by the people," stressing that the Essequibo territory 'historically belongs to us'. This week, The Hague is hosting hearings between the South American neighbours Venezuela and Guyana. Both claim ownership of the Essequibo region, rich in gold, diamonds, timber, and other natural resources, and located near huge offshore oil deposits."
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