CAN Secretary General makes official visit to Guyana

Lima, Sept. 1, 1999. Andean Community Secretary General Sebastián Alegrett made an official visit to Guyana on August 29 to 31 at the invitation of that country's Foreign Minister, Clement Rohee, who proposed to him that the five Andean nations strengthen their relations with this Caribbean country.

During his stay in Georgetown, Alegrett met, as well, with President Bharrat Jagdeo, Caribbean Community Assistant Secretary Carla Barnett, and representatives of the business community.

The Guyanese President underscored the importance of forging closer links between his country and the Andean bloc, to the extent permitted by Guyana's membership in CARICOM and its relations with the South American bloc.

The country had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Southern Common Market countries at the recent summit of Latin American and European heads of state, held in Rio de Janeiro, for the purpose of promoting trade and investment.

In the course of his meeting with private sector representatives, at which the Prime Minister was present, Alegrett described the workings of the Andean Community, the status of its present relations with Guyana, and the possibilities that exist for increasing trade.

The CARICOM and CAN Secretariats agreed to keep each other up-to-date on the positions of the two blocs with regard to the formation of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) and negotiations within the World Trade Organization (WTO).