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428080185
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MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER SANDIFORD OF BARBADOS, September 20, 1989
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428080185
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document
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MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER SANDIFORD OF BARBADOS, September 20, 1989
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Records of the National Security Council (George H. W. Bush Administration)
Presidential Memcon Files
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Barbados
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20
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1989-09-20
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1989
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SECRET
CONFIDENTIAL
012 PRESIDENT 7324
with SECRET attachment
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
E
September 19, 1989
Rub
MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER SANDIFORD OF BARBADOS
DATE: September 20, 1989
LOCATION: Oval Office
TIME: 2:15 p.m. - 2:25 p.m.
FROM: BRENT SCOWCROFT
I.
PURPOSE
To underscore the friendly relations between the United
States and Barbados and our commitment to democracy and
economic development in the Caribbean region.
II. BACKGROUND
Prime Minister Sandiford is in Washington to attend the
annual World Bank meetings on September 25-29. He also will
meet with several members of Congress, including Speaker
Foley and Chairman Rostenkowski, Treasury, and USTR
officials.
Barbados has had close and cordial relations with the United
States since gaining independence in 1966. A multiparty
parliamentary democracy, its major political parties are
moderate with similar objectives of economic development,
political stability, and pro-Western outlook. The House of
Assembly is the third oldest elected body in the Western
Hemisphere and recently celebrated its 350th anniversary.
Sandiford, who took over upon his predecessor's death in
June 1987, is in firm control of his party and the
government and does not face re-election until 1991.
Despite our close relations, Barbados has been unhappy with
us recently over, its decreasing sugar quota, the delay in
CBI II legislation, and a Congressionally mandated change to
the bilateral tax treaty when it expires at the end of the
2000-0429-F
C&I 8/21/2009
AS AMENDED
PER E.O. 12958,
DECLASSIFIED
year. U.S. sugar imports have fallen some 70 percent since
quotas were established in 1982. In the tax treaty case,
Senator Dodd led the move to kill a tax exemption clause for
off-shore insurance firms--an amendment we opposed--which
will cost Barbados $4-6 million.
You should assure the Prime Minister of your strong support
for CBI II, although noting that the sugar provision of the
bill is a problem. Although acknowledging that our
financial constraints have caused a decline in assistance to
CONFIDENTIAL
CC: Vice President
with SECRET attachment
Chief of Staff
Declassify on: OADR
SECRET
CONFIDENTIAL
2
SECRET
with SECRET attachment
the Eastern Caribbean, you should tell him that we are
continuing to look for ways to help and our interest in the
region remains high. Last week, we announced that sugar
quotas would be extended on a straightline basis through
September 1990.
Barbados has played a leading role in regional drug
cooperation and has cooperated with U.S. interdiction
efforts. Barbados hosted a Caribbean Ministerial Drug
Conference in March 1988 and its Attorney General will soon
introduce strict new anti-drug laws including longer
sentences, stiffer fines, and asset forfeiture provisions.
The Prime Minister supports a strong anti-narcotics role for
the Regional Security System, a cooperative security
mechanism of seven Eastern Caribbean states. It is
headquartered in Bridgetown and the Barbados Defense Force
plays the leading role in the organization. U.S. military
assistance to Barbados and the other Eastern Caribbean
states has dropped off sharply over the last two years,
which in 1984-87 was running about $5-6 million to the
region annually. We are sending a package forward for FY
1990 to restore spending to prior levels, largely focused on
anti-drug efforts.
You should commend Prime Minister Sandiford for his public
condemnation of Noriega's attempt to steal the May elections
in Panama and for his support for the OAS declaration of
July 20 demanding that he leave power by September 1.
Sandiford was one of the few heads of government to reply to
your circular letter asking for support for OAS efforts
(Tab B).
III. PARTICIPANTS
See Participants List
IV. PRESS PLAN
Pool Coverage
V.
SEQUENCE
Photo-op followed by brief discussion
Prepared by:
David Pacelli
Attachments
Tab A
Points to be Made
Tab B
Sandiford Letter to the President, September 1, 1989
Tab C
Participants List
Tab D
Biography
CONFIDENTIAL
with SECRET attachment
SECRET
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
7324
5
POINTS TO BE MADE FOR MEETING WITH
PRIME MINISTER SANDIFORD OF BARBADOS
It is a pleasure to welcome you. We value the close and
cordial ties we have had with Barbados for many years.
I congratulate you and the Barbadian people on your recent
celebration of 350 years of parliamentary democracy.
Although our budgetary constraints have caused a decline in
assistance to the Eastern Caribbean, we continue to look for
ways to help; our interest in the region remains high.
My administration is committed to obtaining new legislation
to extend and enhance the Caribbean Basin Initiative; I must
note, however, that we do have serious problems with the
provisions on sugar.
We value your leadership in regional cooperation in the
fight against drug trafficking; we are determined to address
the demand side of the problem here in the United States,
but we will not neglect interdiction.
I appreciate your strong public stance on behalf of
restoration of democracy in Panama, and I want to thank you
for replying to my recent letter on that subject.
I want to thank you for accepting the nomination of Joy
Silverman; she will make a terrific Ambassador.
CONF IDENTIAL
DECLASSIFIED
Declassify on: OADR
CONFIDENTIAL
PER E.O. 12958,
AS AMENDED
OH
11/29/07
2000-0429-F
CONFIDENTIAL
Letter from Prime Minister Sandiford
September 1, 1989
Dear Mr. President:
I thank you for your letter of August 22 concerning the
situation in Panama.
As you are aware from our previous correspondence on this
matter, I share with you an abhorrence of the brutal manner in
which the democratic process in Panama was aborted in May of this
year by the military authorities under the command of General
Noriega. I publicly condemned that act of repression at the
time.
Since then the government of Barbados has strongly supported
the efforts of the Foreign Ministers of the Organization of
American States to resolve the crisis and restore the democratic
rights of the people of Panama.
In particular my government endorses the OAS declaration of
July 20 calling for a transfer of power in Panama by
September 1, 1989, and the holding of free elections as soon as
possible. I shall make a public statement on the matter.
I remain convinced, as I know you are, that if the democratic
community stays united and firm to its commitment to democracy, a
peaceful resolution in the crisis can be found in the best
interest of the people of Panama.
Sincerely,
L. Erskine Sandiford
Prime Minister
End of Text of Letter.
DECLASSIFIED
PER E.O. 12958,
CONFIDENTIAL
AS AMENDED
11/29/2007