UN Security Council convenes emergency meeting over Essequibo dispute
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Transcript
00:00 Faced with mounting tensions, Guyana's vice president sought to reassure residents of
00:04 Esequibo, as well as oil companies operating in the region, that the border dispute with
00:10 neighbouring Venezuela was under control.
00:13 "They should pay no regard to Maduro or his ultimatum.
00:19 We will defend that territory as sovereign Guyanese territory."
00:26 The two countries have been locked in a row over the oil-rich Esequibo province, which
00:31 is administered by Guyana under an 1899 ruling, but which Venezuela also claims as its own.
00:38 Caracas last weekend held a controversial referendum on whether to annex the region.
00:44 And on Tuesday, Nicolas Maduro ordered the national oil company to issue licenses to
00:49 extract crude oil in the disputed territory.
00:52 The measures have raised international concerns and prompted calls for calm by the UK, Brazil
00:58 and the US.
00:59 On Thursday, Washington said it would hold joint military exercises with Guyana, a move
01:05 which was denounced as a provocation by Caracas, but which the US sought to downplay.
01:10 "I'd be careful drawing too strong connective tissue between routine military operations
01:16 that we do in the region in this particular issue.
01:19 We obviously support the peaceful resolution of the border dispute between Venezuela and
01:22 Guyana."
01:24 The dispute is of particular concern in South America, where the regional Mercosur bloc called
01:29 for a peaceful resolution in a joint statement on Thursday.
01:33 Meanwhile, the UN was set to hold an emergency Security Council meeting Friday to address
01:38 the issue.
01:39 [BLANK_AUDIO]