Summit snag

Publication: Daily Nation
Date: Thu, May 8, 1997
Page: 1A
Byline: Terry Ally

Preparations for this weekend's historic US-Caribbean summit hit a snag yesterday as Washington objected to the participation of three non-independent states - Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the British Virgin Islands.

But last-minute negotiations led to the United States dropping its objection to the trio in a diplomatic trade-off, with President Bill Clinton's special envoy, Richard Clarke, indicating that the three could attend provided two American dependent territories could also attend - Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

Sources said that there was very strong insistence that either Montserrat, a full-fledged member, attend or there would be no summit.

Chief Minister of Montserrat, Bertrand Osborne, said after yesterday's Bureau of Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), that Caricom members, particularly chairman, Prime Minister Percival Patterson, and Prime Minister Owen Arthur of Barbados, "have all been adamant in the fact that Montserrat, being a member of Caricom, should participate".

Another Caricom source added that the US position created difficulties for the Caribbean, given that the three were involved in the preparatory process.

"Their exclusion from the summit could generate a bitter reaction by their governments and people, and further fragment the solidarity of the Caribbean region ... Montserrat is a member of Caricom, whose invitation to President Clinton triggered the summit."

Chairman Patterson of Jamaica confirmed the resolution.

"It is now accepted that Montserrat will participate in the meeting as a Caricom member, although they will not sign the [Bridgetown Declaration] because it includes foreign affairs matters, over which they have no competence.

"The BVI and Turks and Caicos Islands . . . will attend as observers, and the US will be bringing Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands."

A two-day Heads of Government meeting starts today in preparation for the summit.