Amid controversy over a breakfast invitation from US President George W. Bush to select regional leaders, all Caricom Heads of Government now in New York for the UN General Assembly are to caucus today on how tomorrow’s meeting should be approached.

The Caricom leaders expected at the Bush breakfast are President Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana and Prime Ministers Perry Christie of The Bahamas, Dr Keith Mitchell of Grenada and Dr Kenny Anthony of Saint Lucia. Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, the current Chairman of Caricom, was also invited but he is unable to attend.

Washington’s presidential breakfast invitation is pointedly aimed at leaders of countries which have indicated that they will sign agreements exempting US servicemen from prosecution under the International Criminal Court (ICC) and is seen by some in the region as a bid to sideline those Caricom states that have said a flat no to the so-called Article 98 agreements with the US.

The selective nature of the invitations has therefore raised concerns about the damage the meeting could do to Caricom unity on foreign affairs issues such as the ICC and other matters. (See Page One comment.) There are also qualms that key countries like Guyana appear to be caving in to US pressure on the ICC. President Jagdeo has already said that Guyana will sign an exemption agreement with the US after it ratifies the ICC agreement when Parliament reconvenes. He said earlier this year that Guyana needed to ensure continued US military assistance to this country. Military aid was cut off by Washington to those Caricom countries which have refused to sign the exemption pact with the US. Originally, those Caricom countries contemplating Article 98 pacts with the US were to await the outcome of a planned visit by Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Patrick Manning to Washington to lobby President Bush for a waiver for the entire region from the need to sign the ICC exemption agreement. Manning has so far been unable to secure a commitment for a meeting with Bush.

Patterson declined the invitation because of a prior commitment (his party’s annual conference) in Jamaica according to his press spokesman, Huntley Medley in yesterday’s edition of the Jamaica Gleaner. However, Patterson is due to be in New York on September 28, and will address the UN General Assembly the following day and has informed Bush of his willingness to meet at any other time in Washington DC or elsewhere, according to the Gleaner report.

Among those not invited to the breakfast meeting are Prime Ministers Owen Arthur of Barbados and Manning of Trinidad and Tobago. Both governments have indicated their full support for the ICC to which the US is strongly opposed. Trinidad and Tobago was one of the prime movers in its establishment. Arthur had further rankled the US with his remarks opposing the war in Iraq.

Among the other leaders not invited are the Prime Ministers of Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, and Belize. Stabroek News has been unable to ascertain whether or not the Presidents of Suriname and Haiti are among those not invited.

Foreign Minister Rudy Insanally told Stabroek News yesterday from New York that there was no specific agenda for the breakfast meeting but a number of issues important to Caricom were likely to be discussed. For Guyana the key issues at the breakfast are likely to be deportees and the HIV/AIDS scourge. The US will be looking at Guyana’s position in relation to the ICC.

Insanally added that while he was unaware of the previous contacts the Caricom Heads might have had among themselves about the breakfast, those in New York today would take the opportunity to discuss the meeting.

Insanally explained that Guyana would at the meeting with Bush to listen and that it was anticipated that it would be pressed to give a commitment to enter into a bilateral agreement with the US to exempt US servicemen from being placed before the ICC. Insanally said that Guyana had already begun discussions with the US embassy here about the bilateral treaty.

Another issue on which discussions have already begun in Georgetown, but which President Jagdeo would take the opportunity to raise, is the question of the return of criminal deportees.

Insanally explained that notwithstanding any procedural arrangement that would be concluded for the return of the deportees, Guyana would press the need for assistance in their monitoring and surveillance by whatever mechanism could be put in place.

Another issue on the agenda is HIV/AIDS. Insanally explained that the beneficiaries of the US$15 billion assistance programme are finding it difficult to draw down the funds.