( L - R) Blair, Arthur, Jagdeo

LONDON (CMC):

British Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday assured Caribbean countries that he would seek to get a fair deal from the European Union (EU) to make up for the loss of preferential agricultural regimes.

Speaking at the Caribbean Investment Summit in London, which is being attended by Prime Minister Owen Arthur of Barbados, Said Musa of Belize and President Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana, Blair said Britain can use its position inside Europe and its historical relationship with the Caribbean to help get the best terms of adjustment that are possible.

"There is this process of change that undoubtedly is going to affect the Caribbean and affect it deeply. There is no point in trying to resist these forces of change. We have to try and manage them.

"We will do our best through the European Union to try to help that process of management. We will do our best as the United Kingdom in the partnerships that we have to make, sure that we develop the relationship with the Caribbean that allows this process of adjustment and change to happen most beneficially," he said.

Beginning of a common approach

He said the loss of preferential sugar markets will affect some countries in the region more than others, but saw yesterday's summit as the beginning of the fashioning of a common approach to respond to the challenges.

The Prime Minister, however, said in the end the answer must be found within the Caribbean itself.

"The only way of dealing with it is to get the right partnerships with the international institutions, and we will help in that, but you also have to develop the Caribbean itself with a real vision for the whole of the Caribbean itself as to where the future lies and what it can do."