Anthony ... CARICOM must maintain ties with Africa. - FILE
CASTRIES (CMC):
CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY (CARICOM) Chairman, Dr. Kenny Anthony, has expressed concern that the new pact currently being negotiated with the European Union (EU) could create divisions within the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group.
The Economic Partnership Agreement, which will govern the future trading relationship between the EU and the ACP, is being pursued separately among the ACP countries according to their region.
AVOIDING DIVISIONS
Dr. Anthony, who is also the St. Lucia Prime Minister, said that while the Caribbean was concerned about the approach, there are regions with specific issues that need to be discussed.
"What this may mean is that CARICOM will have to redouble its efforts to ensure that it maintains close historic ties with Africa," he said in an interview here.
"In addition, we will need to extend diplomatic resources in ensuring that the Europeans do not cause political divisions that can have consequences for subsequent discussion with the Europeans," he added.
The issue was one of several raised during last week's emergency meeting of banana officials from Latin America and the Caribbean held in St. Kitts.
The meeting was aimed at arriving at a "common position with respect to the recent European Union's proposal which is now being referred to a second round of arbitration."
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, who has lead responsibility for bananas within CARICOM, said the opportunity still existed for banana-exporting nations to influence the final outcome of any régime that is to be put in place from January 1, 2006.
