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Skriven 2007-06-20 23:30:58 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (070620c) for Wed, 2007 Jun 20
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Joint Statement: Conference on the Caribbean
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For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary June 20, 2007

Joint Statement: Conference on the Caribbean

˙˙White House News


1. We, the Heads of State and Government of the United States of America
and of the Caribbean Community Nations of Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas,
Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad
and Tobago, meeting in Washington D.C. on June 20, 2007, reaffirm our
unequivocal commitment to a secure and prosperous region and future for the
benefit of all of our citizens.

2. Recalling our shared history of democracy, respect for human rights,
social justice, and cultural and ethnic diversity, we highlight the value
of our enduring friendship and recommit ourselves to enhancing our
partnership to reinforce the development aspirations that guide our mutual
priorities.

3. We pledge to continue promoting the consolidation of democratic norms,
values, and institutions throughout the hemisphere and to enhance
accountability and respect for individual rights.

4. We agree to take steps to expand economic opportunities for our people,
to address the threats of terrorism and crime, and to provide the benefits
of democracy to all members of our societies, recognizing that democracy
will best flourish if our societies are stable and our economies are
prosperous.

5. We recognize the establishment of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy
as a critical element of the growth and development strategy of the
Caribbean Community.

6. We are determined to strengthen our existing trade arrangements. We
acknowledge President Bush's announcement to work with Congress to extend
and update the Caribbean Basin Trade Promotion Act and the 1991 Trade and
Investment Framework Agreement. We further commit to the harmonization of
customs procedures consistent with global standards and the advancement of
technical trade cooperation.

7. We reiterate our support for Caribbean efforts to expand the services
sector, and encourage a focus on the international financial services
sector to facilitate a competitive means of economic diversification while
remaining committed to the maintenance of appropriate regulatory and
supervisory practices, consistent with the highest international standards.

8. Cognizant of the spread of HIV and AIDS and the impact on the economic
and social development of our people, we pledge to deepen our cooperation
in health and welcome the initiative to continue PEPFAR in the Caribbean.

9. Cognizant that more than 95 percent of CARICOM's energy needs are
derived from fossil fuels, we pledge to increase cooperation in this area
to achieve sustainable, secure, and affordable access to energy for all our
citizens.

10. We agree to increase cooperation efforts in the field of education and
workplace training. We commit to strengthen teacher training by expanding
the Caribbean Centers for Excellence. We also commit to strengthen human
capacity in the Caribbean to meet the demands of a 21st century employment
environment through partnering with academic institutions and
non-governmental groups as well as through skills training for youth via
the Entra-21 program.

11. We declare our intention to negotiate an agreement on cooperation in
Science and Technology including Information Communication Technologies.

12. We recommit to our ongoing efforts of cooperation in the area of
disaster preparedness, mitigation, and recovery.

13. We acknowledge the multidimensional nature of the security threats and
challenges faced by our countries and pledge to continue to work together
in the fight against terrorism, trafficking in persons, drugs and small
arms, and transnational crime.

14. We also acknowledge the successful security partnership developed to
secure the CARICOM Region during its hosting of the Cricket World Cup 2007.
To this end, we agree to continue strengthening the Region's security
infrastructure.

15. We recognize the need to work more closely on immigration security
issues in a manner respectful of national laws and government services
capacity and sensitive to the effects of human displacement. We will
jointly work toward the expansion of the pilot reintegration program for
deportees in Haiti to include other CARICOM member states. We will develop
new ways to facilitate, coordinate, and communicate between our immigration
services.

16. We are heartened by the substantial progress in Haiti made by the
Government of President Preval, with the support of international partners.
We recognize that Haiti will continue to require substantial regional and
international support in the implementation of a consistent and long-term
strategy of institution and capacity building, and pledge to work together
with the three branches of the Haitian Government.

17. On the occasion of Caribbean-American Heritage Month, we pay tribute to
the generations of Caribbean-Americans who have helped shape the spirit and
character of the United States of America and who continue to contribute to
the growth and development of the Caribbean.

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