Guyana, Venezuela promise not to use military in Essequibo conflict

Dec. 15 (UPI) -- Guyana and Venezuela agreed not to use military force to resolve their dispute over the oil-rich Essequibo region.

The countries agreed to a three-page joint declaration saying they would "not threaten or use force against one another in any circumstances" along with continuing their dialogue, as Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Guyanese President Irfaan Ali met at the Argyle International Airport near the island's capital Kingston.

Guyana and Venezuela also said they would start a joint commission of foreign ministers to address any matters arising over Essequibo. The two said they would talk again in Brazil.

"We made it very clear that Guyana is not the aggressor, Guyana is not seeking war," Ali said. "But Guyana reserves the right to work with all our partners to ensure the defense of our country."

Maduro hailed an "excellent day of dialogue" as he shared a copy of the declaration on social media.

Essequibo, which consists of two-thirds of Guyana, had been administered by the country since an 1899 treaty when Guyana was still a British colony. Venezuela renewed its claim for the region after oil deposits were discovered off the region's shore in 2015.

The tension between the two countries reached a boiling point earlier this month when Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro mounted a public referendum for the country to annex Essequibo as a state. Guyana responded by calling the move an "existential" threat to their country and put its military on high alert.

Guyana has suggested that the International Court of Justice should resolve the dispute but Venezuela does not recognize the body.