Moscow expects Venezuela, Guyana to peacefully settle territorial dispute - Russian Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. Dec 8 (Interfax) - Moscow expects Venezuela and Guyana to peacefully settle their dispute over the Esequibo region, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

"We assume that the matter belongs to the realm of Venezuelan-Guyanese relations and should be settled in a neighborly manner, through finding peaceful and mutually acceptable solutions, and in line with international law and agreements signed between the parties, as well as national laws," Zakharova said in a commentary on the Foreign Ministry website.

Russia "prioritizes an alleviation of tensions and stronger confidence in relations between Venezuela and Guyana," Zakharova said.

"We call on the parties to refrain from any steps that can unsettle the situation and cause mutual damage," she said.