Presidents of Guyana and Venezuela to meet over territorial dispute
TABLE. WE HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW, BUT FIRST, THE LATEST ON THIS MEETING. >> TOMORROW, TWO SOUTH AMERICAN LEADERS ARE COMING FACE-TO-FACE AMID A GROWING TERRITORIAL DISPUTE. THIS COMES AFTER WEEKS OF THREATS FROM VENEZUELA, LOOKING TO ANNEX HALF OF THE COUNTRY. THE PRESIDENTS, AGREEING TO THE
BILATERAL MEETING, EMPHASIZING THAT THE BOUNDARY IS NOT UP FOR DISCUSSION. >> WE ARE ENTERING WITH GOODWILL. >> WHAT KIND OF CONVERSATIONS OR AGREEMENTS DO WE EXPECT THESE LEADERS TO MEET? >> IT WILL BE COMPLICATED, BECAUSE THE GUYANESE LEADER SAYS THAT TERRITORIAL
SOVEREIGNTY IS NOT ON THE TABLE. I WOULD NOT ANTICIPATE ANYTHING CONCRETE COMING OUT OF THIS DISCUSSION OTHER THAN STATEMENT OF POSITION. >> IT'S A CENTURY-OLD DISPUTE OVER OIL-RICH TERRITORY, A STRETCH OF LAND THAT IN THE 1840S, ARBITRATION DECIDED BELONGED TO GUYANA. VENEZUELA HAS ALWAYS TAKEN
ISSUE WITH THAT DECISION FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY OF OIL RESERVES OFF THE COAST, WITH A REFERENDUM VOTE WHERE THE MAJORITY APPROVED OWNERSHIP. >> HE QUOTED GREAT ACHIEVEMENT, SECURING TALKS WITH GUYANA. THE MEETING IS SET TO TAKE PLACE IN ST. VINCENT AND IS EXPECTED TO ALSO INCLUDE THE
PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL. GUYANA, NOW ASKING FOR SUPPORT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND A SECURITY COUNCIL SPOKESPERSON TOLD US THAT THE UNITED STATES SUPPORTS A PEACEFUL SOLUTION BETWEEN VENEZUELA AND DIANA WITH UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR DIANA. >> MOST OF THE EFFORT RIGHT NOW IS TO REDUCE TENSIONS AND THEN
CHANNEL THIS AGGRESSION BACK INTO APPROPRIATE ORGANIZATIONS. >> THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE GRENADINES, WHERE THE MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE, HAS A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP TO VENEZUELA AND DIANA AND IT'