Subject: More on Aves Island<br/>
Date: Aug 31, 2001 @ 00:37<br/>
Author: Brendan Whyte (&quot;Brendan Whyte&quot; &lt;brwhyte@...&gt;)<br/>
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<div id="ygrps-yiv-663437855">Any one care to map these claims?<br/>
**************<br/>
<br/>
Venezuelan spreading hegemony alarms some Eastern Caribbean States<br/>
by JOHN COLLINS<br/>
<br/>
In The Caribbean Investor<br/>
<br/>
23-07-2001<br/>
<br/>
A declaration of sovereignty by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez over a <br/>
small, uninhabited island in the northeastern Caribbean Sea has some <br/>
Caribbean countries in the sub-region upset.<br/>
<br/>
Aves Island, called Bird Island in English, is a ten acre speck 350 miles <br/>
north of Venezuela and only 90 miles from Dominica, 100 miles from St. <br/>
Lucia, 102 miles from St. Kitts & Nevis and 220 miles from Antigua & <br/>
Barbuda.<br/>
<br/>
Before any of these island states became independent, they were British <br/>
colonies and Great Britain claimed Aves while Venezuela always considered it <br/>
theirs as well.<br/>
<br/>
&quot;No one can ignore Venezuela&#39;s ownership of our Isle of Birds,&quot; said Chavez <br/>
on the eve of the summit of Caribbean leaders in Nassau. &quot;It is Venezuela. <br/>
We are constructing a much more solid base to give us a gigantic extension <br/>
of territorial sea and an exclusive economic zone.&quot;<br/>
<br/>
The reaction among Eastern Caribbean leaders was immediate. &quot;I&#39;m very <br/>
disturbed by the statement of President Chavez,&quot; said Antigua & Barbuda <br/>
Prime Minister Lester Bird. &quot;Recognition of this rock as an island - which <br/>
is what Venezuela is trying to do - would deprive Eastern Caribbean States <br/>
of the resources of their seas and hand them to Venezuela. This would <br/>
effectively deprive these states of their exclusive economic zones.&quot;<br/>
<br/>
Venezuela has asserted a 200-mile maritime boundary in the Caribbean and by <br/>
this latest overture it wants to extend it up to 350 miles. Because of the <br/>
close proximity of some of the states in the region, there are clear <br/>
implications regarding the resources in the neighboring seas.<br/>
<br/>
&quot;Venezuela wants to assert its claim in order to extend its economic sphere <br/>
and such a move would give it definite maritime advantage in the area,&quot; said <br/>
Bird. &quot;It could shut off access to resources of the Caribbean Sea to member <br/>
states of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States.&quot;<br/>
<br/>
Indicating that there are reports that Venezuela is considering an <br/>
artificial platform on Bird Island, Bird said &quot;the small island can not <br/>
sustain human life.&quot;<br/>
<br/>
The Antiguan leader appealed for support from the other 13 independent <br/>
CARICOM member states and said &quot;we must stand up.&quot; Weighing in also was <br/>
Dominica Prime Minister Pierre Charles. &quot;We claim Bird Island and are very <br/>
concerned about Venezuela&#39;s claim,&quot; he said.<br/>
<br/>
Another reason why the leaders of the Eastern Caribbean States are concerned <br/>
over the Venezuela move is the fact that the United States, France and the <br/>
Netherlands have all recognized the Venezuelan declaration of sovereignty <br/>
over Aves Island.<br/>
<br/>
*************<br/>
BW<br/>
<br/>
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