Mitchell Meets with US Secretary of State

17^th November, 2003

Minister of Foreign Fred Mitchell, together with other Foreign Ministers from the Caribbean Community, met with US Secretary of State Colin Powell in Washington DC. The Minister said that the meeting was part of a “continuing conversation of constant contact and dialogue between the United States and CARICOM nations aimed at maintaining mutually successful relations.”

The Minister termed the meeting “a good and productive session”, during which, he said, “The Bahamas took the lead on the issue of Haiti, urging the continued involvement of the United States in the process of supporting democracy in Haiti. In particular”, said the Minister, “ we have asked for US support of those initiatives underway through the CARICOM office in Haiti and we have been given favourable indications in this regard”. The CARICOM office in Haiti functions out of The Bahamas Embassy in that country. 

Mr. Mitchell noted that Caribbean Foreign Ministers came away from the session with Mr. Powell with “a renewed sense that the relationship between countries in the region and the United States is on an even keel. This is, of cause the case with The Bahamas, but generally an important objective is to ensure that CARICOM – US relations remain without acrimony and I think that objective has been achieved”.

Minister Mitchell was also expected to meet later today with US Treasury Secretary John Snow.