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Mitchell
deems COFCOR Conference a success
March 23, 2006
Foreign Minister the Hon. Fred Mitchell has deemed the CARICOM Council
for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) Conference held in Nassau
on Tuesday 21st March and Wednesday 22nd March, a
success.
Speaking on Tuesday
during a joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice -who also participated in the conference- Mr. Mitchell said, “I
am happy that the conference was successful and that we came to an
understanding on all of the range of topics that were brought up in
discussions, and I think we have an agreement now to move forward in a
structured way.”
The Foreign
Ministers and the Secretary of State reviewed initiatives to promote
regional and economic reform and integration, and underscored the
importance of free trade as an engine of economic growth and
development. They also noted the significant progress made in
restructuring the economies of the region through the creation of the
CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) - a vital component of which is
a regional Development Fund.
A re-configured US-CARICOM
Trade and Investment Council, as well as an early meeting of CARICOM
Trade Ministers and the United States Trade representative were also
proposed. The Ministers and the Secretary of State agreed to enhance
regional law enforcement, security co-operation, air safety and
oversight, disaster preparedness, and the crackdown on the illicit trade
of firearms.
While thanking The
Bahamas Government for organizing the conference (in its capacity as
chair nation of COFCOR), Ms Rice called the meeting ‘very fruitful’.
Upon arrival in the capital on Tuesday, the Secretary of State had
called on Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie, with whom she held
bilateral talks on a wide range of issues.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice responds to questions from
reporters as Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service the
Hon. Fred Mitchell looks on during a press conference held after a
meeting with foreign ministers of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
on Wednesday, March 22, 2006. (BIS Photo: Tim Aylen)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
23rdt March 2006
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