GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC):

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries say they want a strong development component as well as a structure that caters for political involvement in a new trade agreement with Canada.

CARICOM and Canada are soon to begin negotiations for a new trade and development agreement and a technical working group is to meet soon to finalise the Caribbean's negotiating brief, according to a statement issued here by the CARICOM Secretariat.

It said that the negotiating brief would be presented for approval at a Special Council of Trade and Economic Development Ministers prior to the first negotiating session with Canada scheduled for July.