CARICOM Not opposed to Cuba

CARICOM Not opposed to Cuba
Web Posted - Fri Jul 20 2007
CARICOM has never approved nor will it ever support unilateral sanctions
imposed against Cuba.

Prime Minister Owen Arthur made that clear yesterday, as he addressed
local and Canadian journalists gathered at the Sherbourne Conference
Centre for a joint press conference with his Canadian counterpart,
Stephen Harper, who is on a week-long state visit to Columbia, Chile,
Barbados and Haiti.

"As with regards to the Caribbean's relationship with Cuba, we have had
a relationship that is now over 30 years old. It has been based on the
very best principles and values of international relations; respect for
people's sovereignty; and the right for people to pursue alternative
paths to development. Our relationship with Cuba has taken many
important forms that have been of great benefit to the people of the
region, and have been directly in relation to some of the greatest
challenges that our countries were having difficulty dealing with on
their own, especially in the health care sector," Prime Minister Arthur
said.

He added that Barbados and indeed the wider region have continued to
pursue a relationship with the Castro led state, that has been based on
finding common ground with respect to development interest and have also
sought to co-operate in ways that the people feel engage in civilised
relations.

Needs integrating

Defending the position taken by the member countries of CARICOM, Arthur
reiterated the charge he made at the Summit of the Americas in Chile 
that our hemisphere is diminished when the member countries do not
recognise Cuba. He maintained that it is a valuable member of the
hemisphere and needs to be integrated into that grouping.

He noted that despite difference in ideological positions, some
countries have not stopped carrying on commercial transactions with the
Cuban State, which have redound to the benefit of their people. With
that in mind, he said that the Caribbean region looks forward to the day
when Cuba can be fully engaged, not just in a bilateral relationship
with the members of CARICOM, but fully engaged in all of the affairs of
the hemisphere.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Harper added that while he has no immediate
plans to visit Cuba, Canada has relationships with Cuba, which have been
maintained over a long period of time.

He added that previous Canadian governments have expressed concerns
about certain aspects of governance and human rights in Cuba and as such
he said they will continue to promote the values of open, free and
democratic societies, the values of modern prosperity and open markets
as well as common security challenges.

http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/NewViewNewsleft.cfm?Record=32072