From: Bruce Girard <resystom%igc.apc.org@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu>
Subject: IPS: Caricom Summit
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: ?
Resent-From: "Rich Winkel" <MATHRICH@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu>
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 01:10:40 GMT

/* Written 11:55 am  Nov  3, 1992 by caribdesk@igc.apc.org in igc:reg.carib */
/* ---------- "IPS: Caricom Summit" ---------- */
From: Bob Thomson <caribdesk>
Subject: IPS: Caricom Summit

/* Written 12:04 am  Nov  3, 1992 by newsdesk@igc.apc.org in igc:ips.englibrary
*/
/* ---------- "CARICOM SUMMIT:CARIBBEAN SHOULD BE " ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: Europe, western
Title: CARICOM SUMMIT:CARIBBEAN SHOULD BE NUCLEAR FREE ZONE,LEADERS SAY


port of spain, oct 31 (ips) -- the caribbean community (caricom)
said saturday it will seek support from its spanish, french and
dutch-speaking neighbours to get the united nations to approve a
resolution declaring the entire caribbean sea a nuclear free
zone.

this comes after fears that a japanese ship carrying plutonium
from france will pass through the region on its way back to japan.

the matter of the plutonium ship was brought before the
special four-day meeting of regional leaders by the caribbean
conservation association, worried that an accident could damage
the region's ability to sustain life.

the decision to try to form a united front in the united
nations on this issue came hours after caribbean leaders met with
representatives from puerto rico, venezuela, the dominican
republic, cuba and colombia in the first move towards
establishing an associationnof caribbean states (acs).

the acs, to take in all countries washed by the caribbean sea,
is the region's first major move to widen the 13-member caricom,
made up of only the west indies' english-speaking nations.

the acs plan calls for an association to give increased
international clout to the region in key groupings such as the
north american free trade area (nafta) and the european
community (ec).

trinidad's prime minster patrick manning said the association
will become effective immedialely and the three-man prime
ministerial bureau set up to ensure implementation of caricom
decisions, will have talks with puejto rico, venezuela, cuba,
colombia, the dominican republic and suriname.

representatives from venezuela, puerto rico and the dominican
republic wasted little time in praising the initiative.

''a coming together is the only way out for the region. we
must work together or we might suffer a great deal,'' said
roberto martinez, the dominican republic's secretary of state.

regional leaders have been arguing that since the rest of the
world was forming itself into mega trading blocs the caribbean
had no choice but to do likewise in order to survive.

amadeo francis, deputy state secretary of puerto rico, noted
that his country was a part of the caribbean despite its
relationship with the united states. (more/ips)

caricom summit: caribbean should be nuclear free (2)

''we have cast our lot in the caribbean community. let's
face it when we go looking for investors and tourists to come to
puerto rico they see it as coming to the caribbean.''

francis said the association represented the end of eight
years of effort for closer ties with caricom and despite its
upcoming elections its work in the organisation will remain
active.

venezuela, for its part, has offered itself as intermediary
between caricom and south america.

''we will treat each member as an equal member,'' its acting
foreign minister fernando gerbasi said. (end/ips/bw/da/922



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