KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CANA ):
THE CARIBBEAN Community (CARICOM) and Japan are to continue talks on the region's concerns about Japan's shipment of nuclear waste through the Caribbean Sea.
The commitment to have further talks was made during the closing ceremony of the just-ended CARICOM/Japan Conference in Tokyo, the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) said at the weekend.
It said Japan's Foreign Minister, Yohei Kono, and Guyana's Foreign Minister Clement Rohee were among the government representatives at the closed-door meeting.
The Japanese foreign minister promised CARICOM representatives that his country would take the matter into consideration.
Rohee, speaking on behalf of CARICOM said: "They can feel justifiably proud of the fact that we have addressed as far as possible this matter in the presence of the Japanese authorities."
"At the same time the Japanese authorities have convened to us that they have taken note and fully appreciate the concerns we have on the transshipment of nuclear waste through the Caribbean Sea."
The JIS said the nuclear waste issue was the main item of disagreement during the conference which also looked at areas of economic, technical and diplomatic cooperation between the two parties.
Environmental groups and regional governments have been pressing for some time now for an end to the shipment of radioactive waste through the Caribbean.
They are concerned about the likelihood of a disaster should there be an accident in the transportation of the material.
