UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (Rear) speaks at the launch of the Emissions Gap Report 2023 of the UN Environment Programme, at the UN headquarters in New York, on Nov 20, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

UNITED NATIONS — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday welcomed the announcement of talks between the presidents of Guyana and Venezuela over their border controversy.

The meeting between President Irfaan Ali of Guyana and Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro is to take place on Thursday in St Vincent and the Grenadines, said Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for the UN chief.

A positive vote was announced on Monday of the Sunday referendum in Venezuela on whether Caracas should take over Guyana's adjacent 159,500 square km Essequibo region

Dujarric said that Guterres, who was invited to the summit, is dispatching two envoys from the world body to represent him at the talks, held under the regional auspices of the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

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The spokesman said the UN chief designated his chef de cabinet, Courtenay Rattray, accompanied by Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas Miroslav Jenca to participate in the meeting as observers.

"The secretary-general commends efforts by the President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio 'Lula' da Silva, and the prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, to bring the parties together, and the support expressed by Mexico and the international community," Dujarric said.

A positive vote was announced on Monday of the Sunday referendum in Venezuela on whether Caracas should take over Guyana's adjacent 159,500 square km Essequibo region. The territory is west of the Essequibo River and comprises two-thirds of Guyana, Venezuela's eastern neighbor.

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The decision to award Guyana the territory came after an 1899 colonial-era arbitration. Guyana has asked the International Court of Justice to affirm that decision, but Venezuela said it would not recognize the court's jurisdiction. Venezuela set its eyes on the mostly undeveloped, heavily forested region after possible oil fields were discovered off the coast of Essequibo.