The two countries were engaged in technical discussions to resolve outstanding matters relating to the Partial Scope Agreement signed between them in June 2001. Delegations from the two sides met again in Guyana on May 5-6 this year.

GINA said that according to a draft agreement, among the issues to be discussed are amendments to Article 6 of the Agreement, where parties agree not to maintain or adopt new non-tariff measures or restrictions to trade in the products negotiated under the Partial Scope Agreement. This takes into account measures referred to in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, 1974 (GATT).

Under Article 8 of the Partial Scope Agreement, GINA reported, they will also agree that “restrictions” shall be interpreted as non-tariff measures of an administrative, financial, foreign exchange or any other nature, by means of which one of the Parties unilaterally creates obstacles to the imports of the other Party.

From the original list put forward by the Brazilian government, 63 were identified as ‘sensitive products’ by CARICOM. Of the 63 products, 39 will attract Most Favoured Nation (MFN) rate of duty, 2 will attract a 100 percent preference level, and for the remaining 22 products, a preference rate of 15 percent will apply.

All arrangements for the signing and final ratification of the Amended Agreement were to be expedited and details of such actions communicated through diplomatic means. It is possible that the Agreement could be finalized during the President’s visit, GINA stated.

Guyana’s product list includes calcined bauxite, rice, sugar, bottled-rum, copra, red peppers, plywood, canned-Heart of Palm, wooden furniture, sawn-lumber, PVC pipes, corrugated-cardboard, paper towels, chemical paper, aluzinc sheets and a wide range of primary agricultural products. Addition-ally, Guyana will be able to export annual quotas of sugar, rice and red peppers.

And the Brazilian list includes capital goods, such as machinery and parts, building materials such as steel products, industrial equipment, medicine, new tyres and electronic equipment.

The aim of the Agreement is to foster bilateral-trade flows through the exchange of tariff preferences between Guyana and Brazil, increase cooperation on trade matters and increase participation of the private sector, GINA reported.

Other areas of mutual interest that are expected to engage President Jagdeo include collaboration on border communities, security matters, including control of narco-trafficking and other illicit cross-border activities.

A Police Cooperation Agreement was signed in Georgetown in April 2002; this is an important development regarding enhanced collaboration between the security forces of the two neighbours.

This is also important for the successful implementation of the Partial Scope Agreement, GINA noted.

The interconnection between highways, including the completion of the Takutu Bridge and the Lethem/ Georgetown road link, is another area of primary mutual concern.