(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ministers of Foreign Affairs now in Suriname for the 16th Inter-Sessional Meeting of Heads of Government of the Community will have an exchange with United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Haiti, Mr. Juan Gabriel Valdes, on the eve of the Inter-sessional meeting to discuss the situation in Haiti.
The Region's Foreign Ministers met in Paramaribo on Tuesday, February 15, to consider agenda issues for this and other similar meetings in which they and their Heads of Government will be engaged during the week. These include a Ministerial meeting to discuss economic and cultural cooperation with a delegation from India led by that country's Minister of State of External Affairs, His Excellency Rao Inderjit Singh.
The Community Council also met on Tuesday to agree on matters to be submitted to the Heads of Government when they meet on Wednesday and Thursday. On the first day of the Inter-sessional Meeting, CARICOM leaders will exchange views on a range of economic, social and political issues with the President of Brazil, His Excellency Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. In a separate meeting with the European Commissioner for Development, Mr. Louis Michel on Thursday, they will discuss development issues pertinent to the Region and to other developing countries.
During a press conference following the meetings of the Community Council and the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) on Tuesday, CARICOM Secretary General, Mr. Edwin Carrington was asked to comment on CARICOM's possible participation in an upcoming meeting on Haiti. He disclosed that he as Secretary General of CARICOM, and Suriname's Foreign Minister, Hon. Marie Levens as Chairman of the Community Council, have been invited to represent the Region at the meeting to be held in Cayenne (formerly French Guiana) next month, a matter that will be brought to the attention of the Heads of Government during their meeting.
On the issue of CARICOM's position on candidatures for leadership positions at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Secretary General stressed that while candidates have made representations to CARICOM Foreign Ministers, the matter is still under consideration within the Community. He added that Heads of Government will also deliberate on the matter of reform of the United Nations Security Council.
