Venezuelan government upset as UK warship visits Guyana

THE deployment of a small warship, the HMS Trent, to Guyana (formerly British Guiana) by the UK Ministry of Defence has raised the ire of the Venezuelan Government.

Following the visit of British junior foreign minister David Rutley to Guyana in mid-December, the ministry on Christmas Eve announced the vessel would be redeployed from anti-narcotics smuggling operations in the Caribbean Sea to Guyana to participate in joint exercises with Guyanese forces after Christmas.

This comes after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Guyanese President Dr Irfaan Ali signed the Argyle Declaration in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) agreeing not to escalate tensions in the dispute over Venezuela's claim to two-thirds of Guyana's territory in the form of the oil-rich Essequibo region.

The deployment was first hinted at on December 12 in the UK House of Commons in the UK Government's reply to a question by Devon-based Labour MP Luke Pollard, as to whether UK armed forces or vessels would be deployed in the context of the border dispute.

Replying for Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps, Minister of State for the Armed Forces James Heappey said, "We are keeping the situation under close review and have a range of options that could be deployed with the agreement of the Government of Guyana, including the Offshore Patrol Vessel, HMS Trent."

The vessel is one of nine new River-class offshore patrol vessels.

The Royal Navy website said the HMS Trent has recently supported NATO with international security in the Mediterranean. It said the vessel was also designed for missions like "counter-piracy, anti-smuggling, fishery protection, border patrol, counter-terrorism, humanitarian aid, general patrols and defence diplomacy."

BAE Systems, the Scotland-based manufacturer, on its website said these vessels have an air surveillance radar to detect low flying aircraft often used in smuggling operations, and have a rigid inflatable boat to be deployed for recovery and rescue operations and sea boarding. These vessels can accommodate a medium-sized helicopter.

"Its automated 30 mm small calibre gun system can engage fast inshore attack craft armed with short-range missiles, rockets, rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns or explosives, while 25 mm guns mounted port and starboard provide secondary armament to the vessel."

The deployment has riled the Venezuelans, according to an official communiqué by Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Yvan Gill, posted on the Caracas-based news agency, Telesur.

Telesur condemned the vessel's deployment, saying, "Its presence constitutes a provocation affecting the resolution of the Essequibo controversy."

Gil, in his communiqué, said, "The presence of the military vessel is extremely serious, since it is accompanied by statements made by political and military spokespersons of the dispossessor of Guayana Esequiba, who insists on meddling in this controversy."

He alleged that the recent British statements were synchronized with actions by the US Southern Command, constituting "a direct threat to peace and stability in the region."

"Venezuela urges the Guyanese authorities to take immediate action for the withdrawal of the HMS Trent vessel, and to refrain from continuing to involve military powers in the territorial controversy."

The communiqué said Venezuela was warning members of Caricom and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) that those actions were contrary to the spirit of peace and understanding at the December 14 meeting in SVG, to which all must return immediately and continue on the path of direct dialogue between the parties.

"The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reserves itself all actions, within the framework of its constitution and international law, to defend the maritime and territorial integrity of the homeland."

Venezuelan Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez in a recent statement complained, "A warship in waters to be delimited? And then?

"What about the commitment to good neighbourliness and peaceful co-existence?"

SVG Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves recently speaking on local radio, NBC, sought to calm troubled waters by downplaying both the presence of the ship and the Venezuelans' response.

As reported on Thursday by CMC, he said the HMS Trent has a "very limited military capacity." Gonsalves did not view Venezuelan remarks as belligerent.

"I think both sides are mature enough to continue the dialogue and the quest for peace.

"What I am hoping for is that there would be fewer acts which may be open to the interpretation of provocation or threat."