Global Policy Forum

By Rickey Singh

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states are stiffening their resolve against perceived "bullying tactics" by the George Bush administration to force the regional grouping to formally recognize the interim regime in place in Haiti, following the controversial departure of former president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide. A trio of CARICOM foreign ministers, who spoke to the Observer last Saturday on condition of anonymity, said representatives of the Bush Government had "warned against US participation in any meeting with CARICOM, without prior inclusion of the interim regime in Haiti in the councils of the community".

The stand-off has put in jeopardy two meetings planned between the US and CARICOM - an April 29 meeting of officials set for St Vincent and the Grenadines, and a high-level meeting on crime and security in the Bahamas scheduled for May 3. The latter meeting was to include a senior administration official, the US secretary for Homeland Security, Tom Ridge. The foreign ministers and officials of CARICOM, meeting last Thursday and Friday in Barbados as the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), variously described Washington's activities as "arrogance" and "bullying tactics".

If the US insisted on its demand for CARICOM's "recognition" or "engagement" with the interim regime in Port-au-Prince, before the community heads of government are ready to make such a decision, said one foreign minister, "I can tell you that the meeting with Mr Ridge will not take place". The communiqué released yesterday after the meeting made no direct reference to the US-CARICOM conflict over Haiti.

But speaking off the record, the three foreign ministers and various other officials, told the Observer that the COFCOR discussions had revealed "a consensus" that CARICOM was in no mood to be "dictated" to on when and why it should allow participation in the councils of the community by the post-Aristide interim Haitian regime. First, in relation to the April 29 meeting of officials in Kingstown, St Vincent, they said Washington had wanted significant changes to the agenda, such as removal of security and financial issues, then later raised doubts about the meeting taking place. Of more significance to the community, said the foreign ministers, was the signalling by representatives of the Bush administration in telephone conversations that the scheduled high-level meeting in the Bahamas on May 3 was dependent on CARICOM's official recognition of the interim Haitian regime.

Trinidad and Tobago's prime minister, Patrick Manning, who has lead responsibility for security among CARICOM leaders, was identified at last month's Inter-Sessional Meeting in St Kitts to lead the community's team of national security ministers for the Bahamas talks with Ridge. The draft agenda prepared for that meeting covered issues of mutual interest such as security, crime, continued deportation by the US of criminals, border security, maritime co-operation and justice-related matters, as well as the global war on terrorism.

In reporting on the foreign ministers' discussions on Haiti, the communiqué said that they reviewed "issues relating to the representation of Haiti within the community and how best representatives of Haiti and the interim administration could re-establish a dialogue that could lead to a normalisation of relations..." The foreign ministers also said that arrangements were being advanced for CARICOM's participation in a proposed United Nations Stabilisation Mission, possibly by July this year. In addition to placing on hold the interim Haitian regime's participation in the councils of the community, even though the French-speaking country remains a member state, CARICOM has called for early restoration of constitutional governance in Haiti, based on free and fair elections.

It also maintains its position for an independent inquiry - possibly involving the United Nations or the Organisation of American States - into the circumstances of the dramatic departure from power on February 29 by President Aristide, in the face of an armed rebellion, widespread violence and chaos. Aristide, now in Jamaica after a short stay in the Central African Republic, claims he was kidnapped by the US.