Central
America, Caribbean talk on free trade
Trinidad Guardian
BELIZE
CITY
Petroleumworldtt.com
05 20 07
Caribbean and Central American
nations said they are committed to creating a free
trade pact, but set no deadline for concluding
talks as they
held a summit in Belize.
Representatives
of 21 nations, including 11 presidents and prime
ministers, also vowed last Saturday to
explore alternative energy sources ahead of next
month’s Organisation of American States meeting
in Panama.
Both regions already have their own trade areas:
tahe 15-member Caricom, and the seven-member Central
America Integration System (SICA). Belize belongs
to both.The new pact would unite the blocs along
the lines of a 2004 agreement between Costa Rica
and Caricom.
“The process is beginning, but no deadline
has been set,” Guatemalan President Oscar
Berger told reporters.
Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur said the pact
would not conflict with the aims of the Caribbean
Single Market and Economy. He also said Caribbean
nations should not sign free trade agreements with
the United States as some Central American countries
have done.
“Before trade relations with the US can
be discussed ... we have to establish stronger
relations within the region,” he said.
Also
joining the summit were Presidents Daniel Ortega
of Nicaragua, Rene Preval of Haiti, Oscar
Arias of Costa Rica, Tony Saca of El Salvador and
Jose Manuel Zelaya of Honduras, as well as Prime
Ministers from T&T, Antigua and Barbuda and
Grenada.
Belize
Prime Minister Said Musa, who hosted both meetings,
said building ties between the regions
is “a work in progress.” AP
Trinidad
Guardian
Thursday
17th May, 2007
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17th May, 2007.
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