Guyana-Venezuela Border Dispute Strictly A Legal Matter, Experts Say

Guyana-Venezuela Border Dispute Strictly A Legal Matter, Experts Say

SAN JUAN, July 10 (BERNAMA-NNN-EFE) -- The dispute between Venezuela and Guyana over coastal waters where oil has been discovered is a question of law and not politics, experts told EFE.

"The conflict between Guyana and Venezuela is over a maritime delimitation, it is not a political conflict," Paz Zarate, a Chilean specialist in international law, said in a telephone interview.

She acknowledged, however, the existence of historical and geographical factors that are hindering diplomatic efforts to resolve the century-old controversy.

The dispute goes back to the 19th century, but took on new urgency May 20, when a subsidiary of U.S.-based ExxonMobil announced the discovery of a significant oil deposit in the coastal waters of the contested Essequibo region.

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