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Contact:
Chris Satney
Monday, April 25, 2005 - St. Lucia and the Republic of France have signed
two agreements which will facilitate the movement of St. Lucian nationals to the
French Department of the Americas and the readmission of persons into Saint
Lucia who have to meet the conditions for lawful entry into these French
departments.
The two agreements signed Saturday 23rd April 2005 are designed to strengthen
the visa waiver agreement between the two countries signed in 2000, which
allowed St. Lucian National to travel to Martinique for a period not exceeding
15 days without a visa.
The agreements which have been negotiated over a period of more than two years
contain mechanisms which, among other things, address the apparent abuse of the
existing visa exemption regime. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of External
Affair Cosmos Richardson says this underscores mutual efforts between the
countries to stamp out criminal activity which violates and the spirit of the
previous agreement.
“Our ceremony therefore underscores the two governments’ mutual foreign policy
objectives of closer cooperation in the deterrence of crime, enhancing security
and ensuring better implementation of the provisions concerning the movement of
persons between St. Lucia and the French oversees department in the Americas,”
said Mr. Richarson
French Minister for Oversees Brigitte Girardin expressed her government’s
continued support in strengthening the already close ties with St. Lucia despite
the challenges. She also welcomed the island’s resolve in dealing with criminal
acts being perpetrated by St. Lucians in the French departments, particularly
Martinique.
“The provisions which have been retained in the agreement aims to facilitate the
circulation of your nationals in the French oversees department which will
enable them to avoid all kinds of misuse without trying to be an obstacle to the
free movement of St. Lucians who have the confidence of France,” said Mrs.
Girardin.
Attorney General and Minister for Justice Senator the Honourable Phillip La
Corbiniere signed both agreements on behalf of St. Lucia. He expressed his
satisfaction with provisions in the agreement.
A statement from the Ministry of External Affairs, International trade and Civil
Aviation outlined the three main objectives of the agreements as follows:
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To address the apparent issues of
abuse of the visa exemption regime.
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To underscore the mutual efforts to
stamp out criminal activity which violates the spirit of the previous
agreement, and threaten to undermine the prevailing goodwill,
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To facilitate the deportation of
persons who are found to have gained illegal entry into each other’s
territories or remained there illegally.
The signing of the agreements was
also witnessed by Minister for Home Affairs and Internal Security Senator the
Honourable Calixte George and French Ambassador to St. Lucia, His Excellency
Bernard Venzo.
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