CARIBBEAN: Caricom to present strong case to Bush

Caricom to present strong case to Bush 
 
BY COREY CONNELLY 


Caricom is confident that the T&T-led delegation to the United States for 
talks with US President George W Bush on the establishment of the 
International Criminal Court (ICC) will be successful. 

Foreign Affairs Minister Knowlson Gift, speaking at a news conference at his 
Queen’s Park West, Port-of-Spain office, said yesterday T&T will present “a 
cogent case” to the US when the two parties decide to meet on the issue. 

“We will be presenting the elements of a reasoned argument, showing where 
Caricom is of great importance to the US,” Gift told reporters. 

“We could make a case to reverse the exemption that had been accorded to us.” 


Earlier this month, the US suspended military assistance to 50 countries 
which had supported the ICC. 

Colombia, which has been one of the largest recipients of military aid in the 
world, along with T&T, Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent and the Grenadines and 
Dominica were also among the list. 

Gift declined comment on the arguments this country will put forward in 
seeking to convince Bush to rescind the US position. 

However, when pressed, he would only say: “The arguments are expected to be 
persuasive and will fall on receptive ears. I don’t want to give away the 
thunder.” 

T&T’s delegation is being headed by Prime Minister Patrick Manning. 

Gift said Manning has been mandated by Caricom to present the region's 
concerns on the establishment of the ICC. 

The briefs for the meeting will be prepared by next week, Gift said. 

However, he said a date and time frame for the talks has not been fixed since 
it will be based on a “fairly lengthy agenda.” 

Gift said the “paternal role” T&T has played in pioneering the ICC as well as 
the appointment of Karl Hudson-Phillips QC as a judge, can go a long way in 
reversing the US decision. 
 
©2003-2004 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited  
 
Source: Trinidad Guardian