Gold Reserve reports on status of Brisas Property
posted on
Oct 26, 2009 08:32AM
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Attention Business Editors
Gold Reserve reports on status of Brisas Property
SPOKANE, WA, Oct. 26 /CNW/ - Gold Reserve Inc. (NYSE-Amex: GRZ) (TSX:
GRZ) reported today that stories in the press relating to the takeover by the
Government of Venezuela of the Brisas Property in southeastern Venezuela are
erroneous. Personnel, apparently from CVG-Minerven, visited the Brisas Camp on
Thursday claiming that they were there to assume control of the Brisas Del
Cuyuni Concession. The individuals who arrived at the camp did not appear to
have any written authorization to conduct such action on behalf of the
Government. Thus, their actions did not appear to be legally supported. In any
event, any action to assume control of the property without recognizing the
status of the underlying hard rock concession, which contains 97% of the
economic value of the mineral deposit, would be inconsistent with Venezuelan
law.
The Company on Wednesday October 21st filed its Request for Arbitration
under the Canada-Venezuela bilateral investment treaty before the
International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes of the World
Bank. This evident retaliation against the Company is a further demonstration
of the Government's wrongful treatment of Gold Reserve and its investments in
Venezuela.
The Company's staff at Brisas advised the persons who arrived on the
property that the Company will respond, in accordance with the applicable
Venezuelan laws, only to a duly authorized written request from the Government
in respect of the property.
Doug Belanger, President of Gold Reserve stated, "We are very
disappointed by this evident retaliatory action and have sent letters to the
relevant authorities in the Government informing them of this wrongful
conduct. Gold Reserve has always respected the laws of Venezuela and has the
right to be treated fairly on the basis of the rule of law."
In the past few weeks there has been an encroachment on the Brisas
property of small illegal miners and the Company has sent numerous formal and
urgent requests to the relevant Government agencies to assist in the removal
of these miners. However, the government response has been limited and the
level of mining activity is increasing daily. The Company is very concerned
about the safety of its employees as well as the safety of these illegal
miners. Sadly, just a few weeks ago several illegal miners were killed on the
Las Cristinas property adjacent to Brisas, when a pit collapsed around them
due to the unsafe conditions in which they work. Also, this type of illegal
mining activity inevitably results in serious environmental degradation. Gold
Reserve will not be held responsible for this kind of illegal activity on the
property when the Government fails to discharge its responsibilities in these
matters.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This release contains forward-looking statements that state Gold
Reserve's or its management's intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations or
predictions for the future. In this release, forward-looking statements are
necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while
considered reasonable by management at this time, are inherently subject to
significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and
contingencies.
We caution that such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other risks that may cause the actual outcomes,
financial results, performance, or achievements of Gold Reserve to be
materially different from our estimated outcomes, future results, performance,
or achievements expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements.
Numerous factors could cause actual results to differ materially from
those in the forward-looking statements, including without limitation: the
outcome or process of any potential proceedings under the Venezuelan legal
system or before arbitration tribunals as provided in investment treaties
entered into between Venezuela, Canada and/or Barbados to determine
compensation due to Gold Reserve resulting from its claims in arbitration
against the Venezuelan government and its agents and agencies, or if the
Brisas Project is transferred to the Venezuelan government and the parties do
not reach agreement on compensation; concentration of operations and assets in
Venezuela; corruption and uncertain legal enforcement; requests for improper
payments; competition with companies that are not subject to or do not follow
Canadian and U.S. laws and regulations; regulatory, political and economic
risks associated with Venezuelan operations (including changes in previously
established laws, legal regimes, rules or processes); the ability to obtain,
maintain or re-acquire the necessary permits or additional funding for the
development of the Brisas Project; the result or outcome of the trial
regarding the enjoined hostile takeover bid for Gold Reserve; significant
differences or changes in any key findings or assumptions previously
determined by us or our experts in conjunction with our 2005 bankable
feasibility study (as updated or modified from time to time) due to actual
results in our expected construction and production at the Brisas Project
(including capital and operating cost estimates) or our inability to undertake
such construction or production; the method and manner of our determination of
reserves, risk that actual mineral reserves may vary considerably from
estimates presently made; impact of currency, metal prices and metal
production volatility; fluctuations in energy prices; changes in proposed
development plans (including technology used); our dependence upon the
abilities and continued participation of certain key employees; the prices,
production levels and supply of and demand for gold and copper produced or
held by Gold Reserve; the potential volatility of Gold Reserve's Class A
common shares; the price and value of Gold Reserve's notes, including any
conversion of notes into Gold Reserve's Class A common shares; the prospects
for exploration and development of projects by Gold Reserve; and risks
normally incident to the operation and development of mining properties.
This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of Gold
Reserve's forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned not to put undue
reliance on forward-looking statements. All subsequent written and oral
forward-looking statements attributable to Gold Reserve or persons acting on
its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Gold
Reserve disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or otherwise
revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of assumptions or
factors, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise,
subject to its disclosure obligations under applicable rules promulgated by
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").
In addition to being subject to a number of assumptions, forward-looking
statements in this release involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and
other factors that may cause actual results and developments to be materially
different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements,
including those factors outlined in the "Cautionary Notes" and "Risks Factors"
contained in Gold Reserve's filings with the Canadian provincial securities
regulatory authorities and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including
Gold Reserve's Annual Information Form and Annual Report on Form 20-F for the
year ended December 31, 2008, filed with the Canadian provincial securities
regulatory authorities and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission,
respectively, on March 31, 2009.
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/For further information: Internet - www.goldreserveinc.com, Company
Contact: A. Douglas Belanger, President, 926 W. Sprague Ave., Suite 200,
Spokane, WA, 99201, USA, Tel. (509) 623-1500, Fax (509) 623-1634/