In order to strengthen their collective and individual efforts against the illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances through the Caribbean, CARICOM foreign ministers reaffirmed the need for increased regional and international cooperation consistent with principles adopted by the U.N.General Assembly and in strict adherence to international law and the principles enshrined in the U.N. Charter.

Leaders further agreed to:
• Achieve the agreed goals of international development, including the Millennium Development Goals, highlighting sustainable development as a key element in the general framework of the activities of the United Nations; in this context, they stressed the importance of increasing international cooperation and international aid flows for development.

• Strengthen protection and conservation of the environment and the sustainable use of natural resources especially the region’s priceless and unique resource, the Caribbean Sea, and in this respect, to continue promoting initiatives in multilateral fora and particularly at the ACS and the United Nations, to achieve the recognition of the Caribbean Sea as a special area in the context of sustainable development.

• Support initiatives that promote the worldwide debate on climate change, especially the holding of a high-level summit or conference as soon as possible, given the urgent need to take steps that require universal participation and political commitment. Climate change, by its very nature, is closely linked to sustainable development. As a consequence, developed countries should live up not only to their commitments to the reduction of greenhouse gases, but also to their commitments in the areas of official development aid, which will permit economic growth and sustainable development for the countries of the south through the eradication of hunger and poverty, the guarantee of food security and access to clean technologies, among other issues.

• Collaborate and cooperate in capacity development in national and regional planning for prevention, mitigation and recovery in response to natural disasters and, in this respect, apply best practices in their joint plans and programs of response and rehabilitation at the regional level.
The Ministers also affirmed the importance of international cooperation, in accordance with international law, in the fight against terrorism. The Ministers reconfirmed their categorical and unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

As well as all acts, methods and practices of terrorism, wherever, whoever or against whomever, including those in which states are directly or indirectly involved, which are unjustifiable whatever the considerations or factors that may be invoked to justify them.

The Ministers urged all states, in accordance with the U.N. Charter, to fulfill their obligations under international law and international humanitarian law in the fight against terrorism, by prosecuting or, where appropriate, extraditing the perpetrators of terrorist acts; by preventing the organization, instigation or financing of terrorist acts against other states from within or outside their territories; by refraining from organizing, instigating, assisting, financing or participating in terrorist acts in the territories of other states; and by ensuring that refugee status or any other legal status is not abused by the perpetrators, organizers or facilitators of terrorist acts, and that claims by them that the extradition requests are politically motivated should not be grounds for refusing to consider such extradition requests.

The Ministers reiterated their firm commitment to the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, multilateralism and the fundamental principles of international law, including respect for sovereignty and the juridical equality of states, and non-interference in the internal affairs of states, the prohibition of threats or the use of force in international relations, respect for territorial integrity, the peaceful resolution of disputes and the sovereign right of the citizens of every country to freely determine its system and political institutions in conditions of peace, stability, and justice. u
(Extracted from the communiqué issued at the 2nd meeting of ministers of foreign affairs of CARICOM-Cuba, May 29, 2007).