OECS Heads of Government, at the last meeting in Anguilla in November 2005, had issued a statement expressing “deep concern” about Venezuela’s continued promotion of the ownership claim.

In recent times, the Venezuelan authorities have stepped up activities on the ten acre rock, including among other things, the conduct of weddings and baptisms.

The OECS Authority had called for a cessation of these activities and indicated its intention to seek early negotiations aimed at a speedy resolution of this long standing issue.

There are two major issues at stake for the OECS; the ownership of Bird Island, and the ‘ability’ of Bird Island to generate an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in accordance with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which Venezuela is not a party.

Venezuela’s ownership would result in the country greatly increasing the area of its EEZ at the expense of the relevant OECS Member States.

This week’s consultation began Monday at the OECS Secretariat in Castries and will involve maritime and legal experts, Secretariat staff and officials from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

The talks then moved to the Bay Garden Hotel on Tuesday and were joined by government representatives from OECS Member States and officials from the CARICOM Secretariat.

The initial group returned to the Secretariat from Wednesday to Friday to prepare a road map and project proposal on the way forward.