CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC):

The St Lucia government Monday said it would delay signing the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union.

Prime Minister Stephenson King said that his administration's new position follows a recent statement made by the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, as well as the need for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries to further review their position.

"Based on the advice we have been receiving from several quarters we, as members of the Caribbean Community, are now in a better position to say let us slow down a minute and engage in a further review of the real value of the EPA to the region," King said.

"We are to appeal to the president of France to meet with us and consider some areas of concern and see whether we can get the European Community to under-stand and support our position," he added.

Signing

The signing of the EPA, which was negotiated between the European Union and the Caribbean Forum (CARICOM) countries that also includes CARICOM, is scheduled for September 2 in Barbados.

But there has been much opposition to the accord with trade unions, academics and some Caribbean states, notably Guyana, calling for a further review of the package.

The main opposition St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) and other political and civic groups here have called on the King administration to postpone signing the agreement. They have also called for a parliamentary debate on the issue.

Hold back

King said that with the decision to hold back on any early signing of the agreement, "we can perhaps take up the opposition's recommendation that we hold a debate on the measure.

"At the end of the day, the decision to hold back on the signing is in response to world demands - those of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the challenges that small nations like ours face as a result of the articles of the agreement and the very conditions set by the WTO," King said.