§ 44. Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the communications he has received from Guyana about the territorial claims of Venezuela; to what extent Guyana's territory has been infringed; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitlockHer Majesty's Government and the Government of Guyana have 75W kept in close touch over this problem. It would not, of course, be appropriate for me to disclose our confidential exchanges with another Government.
The Guyana Government have informed us that the Venezuelans have occupied the whole of Ankoko Island, which has an area of about 4 square miles and is roughly bisected by the Guyana-Venezuela border.
I think that the only statement I can helpfully make is to record Her Majesty's Government's sincere hope that the two parties directly concerned will continue to work for a peaceful settlement of the controversy in accordance with the 1966 Geneva Agreement.