This is according to Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett who informed that several issues including climate change and its impact on the region, security, human rights, the financial crisis and the narcotics trade will also be addressed at this meeting.

Minister Rodrigues in an invited comment told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that approximately 60 delegates from the Caribbean are expected to attend along with representatives of the African and Pacific states and the EU.

Among the delegates would be the Co-Presidents of the EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly Glenys Kinnock from the United Kingdom and Wilkie Rasmussen of the Cook Islands, Pacific along with the Secretaries General of the ACP group and the European Parliament and representatives from the European Commission.

The Foreign Affairs Minister emphasized that the meeting is important since it presents the opportunity for Guyana to participate in discussions on pertinent issues such as the EPA, which from its initial stage generated a lot of debate.

According to Minister Rodrigues, Guyana will actively pursue its concerns at this meeting which is being held here for the first time with the previous two being held in Namibia and in Vanuatu in 2008.

The EPA is now in its first phase of implementation and the meeting will seek to address necessary components which are still to be formalized.

Guyana’s position on avoided deforestation would be one of the main issues that will be advanced at the meeting to encourage a united approach towards a suitable post Kyoto framework to cater for market based mechanisms for countries which are engaged in sustainable forest practices.

Also high on the agenda for discussions at the meeting will be:

* the effects of climate change and natural disasters on the Region.

* security, human rights, elections and governance in the Caribbean Region

* the financial and credit crisis and its impact on the Region and

* the narcotics trade and its impact on the Region.

Guyana signed the EPA in October 2008 after President Bharrat Jagdeo lobbied successfully for the EU to include two clauses in the agreement that would allow for the agreement to be reviewed after its implementation and should any of the provisions of the EPA conflict with the CARICOM Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, the revised treaty would take precedence, thereby safeguarding the regional integration process.

The second is for a review of the EPA every five years to look at the socio-economic impact of the agreement on the people of the region and a commitment by Europe to address the adverse impact. (GINA)