Guyana said today that neighboring Venezuela is objecting to oil exploration in contested waters off the smaller South American country's coast, AP reported. There has been a decades-long territorial dispute between Venezuela and sparsely populated Guyana, one of the region's poorest nations. Guyana's foreign affairs ministry said Sunday that Caracas objects to plans for an exploratory well to be drilled in an area it contends is within Guyana's territorial waters. A subsidiary of U.S.-based Exxon Mobil Corp plans to conduct exploratory drilling later this month under a Guyana concession. Guyana said it is requesting that Venezuela "desist from taking any actions that could only result in the stymieing of the development of Guyana." Guyana has informed the U.N., Caribbean Community and the Organization of the American States about Venezuela's objections. -- SPA 20:46 LOCAL TIME 17:46 GMT تغريد
