VENEZUELA/COLOMBIA: GULF OF VENEZUELA DEFINITIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP08C01297R000700060018-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 10, 2012
• Sequence Number: 18
• Publication Date: January 20, 1971
• Content Type: CABLE

MC &A 302 IMF POLVI/Illt /.1I / //' / .1 I _
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/21: CIA-RDP08C01297R000700060018-2
S.
410
41
6942J DEPARTMENT OF STATE TELEGRAM
CABLE SECRETARIAT DISSEM
PER * TOTAL COPIES: ""
REPRO BY
MFG. 11-70
114
FILE
25X1
HCM5 80
25X1
PAGE/01 CARACA 00340 202138Z
85
ACTION ARA-20
INFO OCT-01 PM-05 L-04 AID-28 0IAE-00 DODE-00 INR-08
NSAE-00 P-03 RSC-01 USIA-12 PRS-01 SFW-02 INT-06 10-13
RSR-01 /105 W
R 2 02 11 OZ JAN 71
FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1180
INFO AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
4) USCINCSO
CARACAS 340
USCINCSO FOR POLAD
037652
'
SUBJECT: VENEZUELA/COLOMBIA:'GULF OF VENEZUELA DEFINITIONS
REF: CARACAS 4-565 OF OCTOBER 16, 1970
1. FRONT PAGE EL NACIONAL CARRIES TODAY TEXT OF FONMINISTRY
4D COMMUNIQUE ISSUED YESTERDAY ON DEFINITION OF GULF OF VENE-
ZUELA TERRITORIAL WATERS AND CONTINENTAL SHELF. FOLLOWING
IS INFORMAL TRANSLATION OF COMMUNIQUE WHICH IS BEING POUCHED
4D ALONG WITH ACCOMPANYING DIAGRAM OF CLAIM TO VENEZUELAN DESK
AND EMBASSY BOGOTA:
"IN VIEW OF REPEATED STORIES IN COLOMBIAN PRESS AFFIRMING
THAT POSITION MAINTAINED BY VENEZUELA FOR DEFINITION OF TERRI-
TORIAL SEAS AND CONTINENTAL SHELF BETWEEN TWO COUNTRIES IS PRO-
PORTIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF THESE AREAS BASED ON LENGTH OF COAST-
" LINES, OR SYSEM CALLED PROPORTIONALITY, AND ALSO BECAUSE OF
FACT THAT COLOMBIAN FONMINISTER, HIS EXCELLENCY ALFREDO VAZQUEZ
CARRIZOSA, HAS STATED ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS IN PUBLIC STATEMENTS
4D THAT COLOMBIAN THESIS IS MEDIAN LINE, VENEZUELAN FOREIGN
MINISTRY, WITH PURPOSE OF PROPERLY INFORMING PUBLIC OPINION OF
COUNTRY, DEEMS IT NECESSARY TO EXPLAIN THAT THESIS HELD BY
VENEZUELA, WITH RESERVATION THAT THIS QUESTION MUST BE DECIDED
DEFINITELY BY SOVEREIGN CONGRESS OF COUNTRY IN CONFORMITY
WITH CONSTITUTION, IS POSITION OF A DIVIDING LINE BETWEEN
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/21: CIA-RDP08C01297R000700060018-2
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/21: CIA-RDP08C01297R000700060018-2
IS)
DEPARTMENT OF STATE TELEGRAM
CABLE SECRETARIAT DISSEM BY PER ? TOTAL COPIES: REPRO BY
MFG. 11-70
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FILE RF.
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CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 CAR A CA 00340 202138Z
COLOMBIAN COAST OF THE GUAJIRA AND VENEZUELAN ISLANDS OF LOS
MOUES COMBINED WITH A LINE OF DEMARCATION THAT FOLLOWS DIRECT ION
OF LAND FRONT IR g BECAUSE AREAS DEFINED BETWEEN VENEZUELAN
COASTS ARE TRADITIONALLY AND HISTORICALLY VENEZUELAN WATERS."
2. COMMENT: STATEMENT AND DIAGRAM CARRIED IN PRESS CORRESPOND
TO DIAGRAM SUBMITTED IN EMBASSY A-565. AS WE UNDERSTAND IT,
VENEZUELAN POSITION ON PROPORTIONALITY IS ONLY FOR PURPOSES
OF NEGOTIATING QUESTION OF DIVIDING UP CONTINENTAL SHELF IN
AREA BEYOND 12 MILE TERRITORIAL SEA LIMST OFF COLOMBIAN COASE,
BUT SHORT OF MEDIAN LINE. PROPORTIONALITY HAS NOT IMPLIED
VENEZUELA IS PREPARED TO RELINQUISH A PERCENTAGE OF THE GULF
SEAS AND CONTINENTAL SHELF BASED ON PROPORTION DERIVED FROM
COLOMBIA'S HOLDING APPROXIMATELY TEN PERCENT OF COAST LINE IN
GULF.
3. IN CARRYING SAME STORY FRONT PAGE TODAY, EL UNIVERSALS ALSO
ALLEGES THAT PRESIDENT CALDERA YESTERDAY IN HIS MEETING WITH
COPEI PARTY LEADERSHIP PROPOSED CREATION OF A BROAD NAt IO NAL
FRO NT OF OPINION CROSSING PARTY LINES THAT WOULD SUPPORT GOVERN-
MENT'S EFFORTS IN DEFENDING NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY IN DISPUTE
WITH COLOMBIA OVER TERRITORIAL SEAS AND CONTINENTAL SHELF.
GP-4.
MCCLINTOCK
CONFIDENTIAL
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/21: CIA-RDPO8C01297R000700060018-2