.· .,
fast track mechanism that would prevent the delay or reiection of
a parti cular pro i ect due to the disinterest of other members.
Moreover this flexibilitv would enable poorer States to
budcret/ l 1mit their financial contribution to special issues of
interest or concern.
• BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE ACS
•
(i ) Inviolability of National Political and Security Riqhts
As a bodv the ACS will eschew all involvement in the internal
affairs of states viz the political and security areas. Focus
will be placed more on io1nt contribution to the economic,
social and cultural development of the reqion.
(ii) An Inter-Governmental Body
Within the ambit of the ACS all decisions will be taken by
qovernments .
No aqreement has been reached reqardinq the participation of
business and professional qroups.
(iii)Member States should be under a democratic reqime respectinq
the rule of law and human r1ohts.
Careful consideration will have to be 01ven to the rolejwhich
non-sovereiqn states such as Puerto Rico, Martinique,
Guadelope, could play.
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RRGIDNAL._ __ INTEREST IN THE CREATION OF AN ACS
The countries of the Caribbean Basin area must have a real and
e xpre s sed interest in the formation of an ACS. If this interest is
lac k1nq this propos1t1on will remain a concept. The Heads of
Government appointed former Prime Minister of Jamaica Mr. Michael
Man l ey as Special Envoy, to conduct a probe to lobby support for
• the ACS amonq Presidents/He ads o f countrie s makino up the wider
Caribb e an.
•
i. _position of the Caribbean Basin States
The CARICOM Bureau met with representatives of Colombia,
Cuba , the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Venezuela
for discussions on the proposal for the establishment of
an ACS. The idea was endorsed in qeneral. The Rio Group
Forum has also expressed qeneral interest with the
condition that concentration on the successful
development of existinq orqanizations should not be
compromised.
At the recently concluded CARICOM/Central America
Ministerial Conference , the countries of the Central
American Isthmus accepted the ACS proposal warmly. In
respect of the concept of an ACS, it is only loqic~l that
the determination of the Central American countries to
contribute to the Asso c iation will be a vital determinant
to the success of the ACS.
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ii. .Ia.ma i ca' s Posit ion
Jamaica ful l y supports the proposal for the establishment
of an ACS and has been seekino the support of potential
member countries in bilateral discussions.
Mexico and the ACS
There can be doubt that the de.qree of Mexico's interest in the
ACS would be pivotal.
Mr. Manley met with Mexican President Salinas de Gortari,
June 7 of this year, to discuss Mexico's interest.
Salinas inter alia:
President
reaffirmed Mexico's support for the proposed ACS;
aqreed that the ACS should be a consultative body,
praqmatically structured.
CONCLUSION
In terms of occupyinq hiqh-level positions in reqional and
international orqanizations the CARICOM presence is still
neqliqible. There may be many explanations for this lacuna but one
solution would be an economically stronq CARICOM profoundly united
in its determination to make an impact in the reqion.
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i . t
The ACS is a CARICOM 1nit1ative which will demand
oroan1zationa l ( strateq1c, leq1slative, market1nq expertise) and
financial efforts, qreat investment 1n time, plus the decisiveness
to carry throuqh successfully. However the qains of CARICOM
req1ona l and sub-reoional investment 111 lobbvinq for multi-level
c ooperat1on and collaboration will offset some of the costs and
• efforts as the process takes on a life of its own.
•
~ i n 1&trv o f ! ot e1o n Aff1 :r 1 • ~d
Pore1<1 n ':'r!ldc
J ur. e 16 . 1 993
inputs :CAROCIAS.PAI
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OFFICIAL VISIT TO MEXICO AND HONDURAS
OF THE HON. PERCIVAL J. PATTERSON
PRIME MINISTER OF JAMAICA
AUGUST 31 - September 3, 1993
ASSOCIATION OF CARIBBEAN STATES
The Special Meetinq of Heads of Government of the CARICOM,
convened in Trinidad and Tobaqo, October 28-31, 1992, aqreed, inter
alia, that the Caribbean Community should ''initiate proposals for
the establishment of an Association of Caribbean States (ACS)
directed to advancinq both economic 1nteqration and functional
cooperation with other Caribbean Basin countries."
The tarqet countries of the proposed Association of Caribbean
States include the countries of the Caribbean Basin and Latin
American countries of the Caribbean Littoral. The overall mission
of this Association is to max1m1ze the qeooraphic and qeo-economic
benefits of the req1on throuqh closer collaboration.
MISSION
The Overall Mission of the ACS would revolve around the
reqional1zation process. Consultation themes would depend on
political and economic concerns to the area, inter alia:
reqional inteqration
trade liberalization
reqional cooperation in tourism
mechanism for enhancinq relations with key countries of
the new world order.
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