| Regions Push Ahead on Free Trade |
By BBC - Caribbean
May 14, 2007
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| Caribbean and Central American nations say they are committed to creating a free trade pact. |
But they set no deadline for concluding talks after a summit in Belize.
Both regions already have their own trade areas: the 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the seven-member Central America Integration System (SICA), |
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| Belize belongs to both, and the new pact would unite the blocs along the lines of a 2004 agreement between Costa Rica and CARICOM. |
| According to Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur, the pact would not conflict with the aims of the Caribbean Single Market and economy. |
| He also said Caribbean nations should not sign free trade agreements with the United States as some Central American countries have done. |
| The leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to alleviating poverty, fighting corruption and crime, increasing tourism and monitoring climate change. |
| They also vowed to explore alternative energy sources ahead of next month's Organisation of American States general assembly meeting in Panama. |
| "What we have agreed to goes beyond a free trade treaty," said Salvadoran President Elias Antonio Saca after the meeting. |
"Energy and air transportation have been included in the declaration," he added. |
| Also joining Saturday's summit were Presidents Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua, Rene Preval of Haiti, Oscar Arias of Costa Rica and Jose Manuel Zelaya of Honduras, as well as the Prime Ministers from Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda and Grenada. |
| The CARICOM and SICA leaders held their first summit in 2002. |
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