– Granger stresses diplomatic initiativePresident David Granger said, yesterday,? that Guyana’s national defence strategy over the next four years? must incorporate steps, in concert with regional partners, to address the security threats facing the Caribbean.Commander-in-Chief of the Guyana Armed Forces, President David Granger (on the dais) GDF Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Mark Phillips (first left) and Colonel George Lewis (right) take the salute as the Guyana Defence Force ranks march pass.The President made these assertions in his address, to the opening of the Guyana Defence Force’s (GDF) Annual Officers’ Conference at Base Camp Ayanganna. The two-day event is being held under the theme, “Towards greater operational readiness for national defence and security”.“Guyana is an integral member of the Caribbean Community. The Community is at the core of Guyana’s security strategy. Guyana is a partner in the promotion of regional peace and security…The coordination of foreign policy in the Caribbean Community is central to our defence strategy,” President Granger said.Referencing the recently concluded Inter-sessional Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government, the President said that as a collective, the Caribbean Community agreed on a protocol to amend the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas to incorporate the Council for National Security and Law Enforcement (CONSLE) as an Organ of the Community and the Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) as an Institution of the Community.“Guyana must be a reliable partner in the cause of regional security and in ensuring that the Caribbean remains a zone of peace…Our strategy must emphasise that Guyana is a ‘national’ power, but with Regional interests. It must ensure that national independence is preserved, sovereignty is secured and its territorial integrity is guaranteed,” the Head of State said.DiplomacyA section of the audience at the opening of the Guyana Defence Force’s Annual Officers’ Conference. In the first row, from left, are Ministers Carl Greenidge, Basil Williams, Joseph Harmon and Khemraj Ramjattan.Over the past 50 years, diplomacy has been Guyana’s first line of defence, a strategy that continues to yield dividends. Only recently, CARICOM Heads issued a Communique reaffirming their unequivocal support for the maintenance and preservation of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. A similar statement of support was issued by the Commonwealth at its Heads of Government Meeting in November last year in Malta.“Guyana, a small state, has used its diplomatic might to garner support for its efforts to deter aggression, safeguard its territorial integrity and secure the cooperation of the international community. It has successfully suppressed internal insurrection,” he said.Through diplomacy, Guyana has already had recourse to international juridical mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes. This is in relation to maritime controversy with neighbouring Suriname that saw Guyana approaching the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITCLOS) in 2004, which ruled in Guyana’s favour.Additionally, Guyana has expanded its diplomatic relations with a number of regional and international organisations. These include: CARICOM, UNASUR, CELAC, MERCOSUR, the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) to name a few.“These recent expressions of support for Guyana’s territorial integrity emanating from regional and international organisations follow a series of similar statements which have served as a deterrent against neighbouring aggression.Guyana will continue to pursue diplomacy to advance relations within the international community and to secure its vital national interests,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, including defence against external threats,” President Granger said.Security cooperationThe President also spoke of the country’s responsibilities under the various regional and international treaties and agreements to which it is a signatory, noting that these agreements have been the bases of the Guyana’s defence engagement in the Caribbean, particularly in the areas of disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.Over the years, Guyana has provided military and humanitarian support to sister-CARICOM countries as well as several peace-keeping missions.“Defence diplomacy has fortified the country’s international posture… Diplomacy has allowed the Guyana Defence Force to enhance its capabilities through training and the receipt of equipment from foreign forces and governments,” President Granger said.Guyana People’s MilitiaAs part of the new Total Defence Strategy,Wholesale Jerseys, the Government is seeking to augment the strength of the GDF with a strong reserve force, namely the Guyana People’s Militia. The President said that these two forces must always be in a state of o