CARACAS, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela and Guyana on Thursday pledged they would never "use force" in settling their decades-old land dispute over the oil-rich Essequibo region which has been heating up recently.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his Guyanese counterpart Irfaan Ali held a meeting in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to discuss the issue that has put South American countries on alert.
The two sides agreed that "they will not directly or indirectly threaten or use force against each other under any circumstances," said a joint statement issued at the meeting, with both sides pledging to resolve the issue "in accordance with international law."
Maduro and Ali would meet again within three months in Brazil, said the statement.
The Essequibo region, covering approximately 160,000 square km, is administered by Guyana but has long been claimed by Venezuela.
The recent flare-up of tensions between the two countries over the region has triggered fear of a potential regional conflict.
South American countries including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay earlier issued a joint declaration calling for "both parties to negotiate to seek a peaceful solution." ■
