PM: ‘The world is no longer bipolar’

Small states like St Vincent and the Grenadines are free to explore mutually beneficial relationships without fear of reprisal from other nations.

This according to Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves who was speaking at a press conference last Tuesday, 12th June.{{more}}

Constantly questioned over this country’s foreign policy especially with regard to the deepening ties with Venezuela and Cuba, Dr Gonsalves said that St Vincent and the Grenadines will continue to establish bi-lateral links with several nations as it deepens the traditional relationships with Europe and North American.

He dismissed the concerns, some of which have been openly voiced by opposition spokespersons, including the political leader of the New Democratic Party Arnhim Eustace as unfounded.

Dr Gonsalves said that the world is no longer bipolar as it was during the cold war where countries were either for the United States or the Soviet Union. He said that the new environment is uni-polar which gives individual nations space to explore relationships that are beneficial to them.

“A unipolar world has created opportunities for a series of multilateral links between smaller states and medium sized states,” he said.

He said that in St Vincent and the Grenadines’ case, the exploration of new links and beneficial multilateral and bilateral relationships will continue to be far reaching.

He said that in addition to Cuba, Venezuela and Mexico there has been a deepening of ties with Taiwan and Malaysia.

“And I am seeking to explore links with Turkey and Brazil,” Dr Gonsalves said.

He also called for the establishment of an Africa, Brazil and the Caribbean (ABC) commission to lead the charge of deepening the relationship between these nations.

He suggested that those who are cautious of the exploration of new relationships because they fear how it will sit with certain countries are practicing one of the worse types of servitude that exists.

“One of the worse kinds of servitude is a servitude which operates on the assumption that the scope of operation of the slave is narrower than in fact the case is,” he said.

The Prime Minister also said that St Vincent and the Grenadines’ friends know the areas where this country can cooperate with them and the areas where cooperation isn’t possible.(KJ)