Topic:
Country: Russian Federation
Delegate Name: Christian Boyce
For over a century, disputes over the claims to the Essequibo Region have caused tensions between the nations of Venezuela and Guyana. Over that time, treaties and agreements such as the Paris Arbitral Award in 1899 and the Geneva Agreement in 1966 have affirmed Guyana’s claim over the region. However, Venezuela has also laid claim to the region. Since the 1970s Venezuela has claimed ownership of the region, deeming it a “zona de reclamacion “ (reclamation zone). Tensions peaked in December of 2023 when after holding a referendum on the matter, Venezuela sent troops into the region and began to create infrastructure. The issue is one of great importance to the region and poses the possibility of armed conflict.
The Russian Federation has had a history with the border dispute. Russian diplomat Friedrich Martens was instrumental in the creation of the 1899 Paris Arbitral Award. Recently, however, the nation has taken a less intrusive approach to the matter. President Vladimir Putin in 2023 encouraged that the matter be solved without violence through diplomacy. Furthermore, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova stressed the importance of de-escalating the conflict and resolving the issue through diplomacy and international law. Additionally, the Russian Federation has close political and economic ties with Venezuela and supports the nation’s efforts to strengthen its national economy and sovereignty. Moreover, the Russian Federation was represented in the private 9599th United Nations Security Council meeting discussing the development of the situation.
The United Nations has issued statements on the matter. While generally taking a more passive approach, the UN has encouraged the use of bilateral bodies, such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to aid in resolving the issue. Former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon encouraged the same method in 2017. Ultimately, the UN has done little to interfere with the dispute, instead encouraging the use of preexisting international law and third-party bodies to aid in resolving the issue
The Russian Federation encourages that the matter be approached delicately. The border dispute is one that has over a century of history behind it and cannot be resolved through military intervention or careless border redrawings. As a champion of national sovereignty, Russia advises that third parties reduce their interference in the matter to respect both nations’ autonomy. Moreover, external pressure to expedite the process or force certain decisions should be avoided for the aforementioned reason. The Russian Federation maintains the principle that Latin America must remain a zone of peace. Russia supports efforts across Latin America and the Caribbean to increase regional unity and to cement the region’s stance as a considerable power in an increasingly multipolar world. Ultimately, the Russian Federation looks forward to cooperating with its allies and other nations to maintain the two nations’ sovereignty and to promote unity and peace in the region.
