MONTEGO BAY -- Caribbean Community leaders are divided over an appropriate collective response to Washington's decision to cut military aid to six Caricom states that failed to meet a July 1 deadline for a waiver against extradition from their territories of American nationals wanted for crimes by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The varying positions, emerging from their recent two-day retreat in Ocho Rios, reflect the countries' mixed reactions on the ICC Treaty.

United States military assistance, including military training, that has been cut to 35 countries including the Caricom six, is going to impact on aid to the Coast Guard and also aspects of the operations of the Regional Security System, according to one foreign minister.

But according to an Observer source, fears were expressed by some of the participants at the Ocho Rios retreat, that the cut in military aid may be the prelude to reductions, or even an end to economic development assistance from the USA for some countries.

Conference sources said, yesterday, that calls for what one prime minister described as an "enlightened compromise" between the US and Caricom states, were countered with strong opposition to a review of the immunity waiver.

The matter comes up for formal discussion today, most likely under "external relations" issues, according to conference sources that have indicated a possible "blending of positions" into a common approach to avoid "a confrontational stance with Washington".

The six countries immediately affected by the aid cut are Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Belize and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Countries that have neither signed nor ratified the treaty are St Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, and St Lucia; while Jamaica, Guyana, Grenada and Haiti are yet to ratify.

And in contrast to the differing positions on Washington's "pressure tactics" on the immunity waiver for American nationals, the leaders are reported to have made "significant progress" in arriving at a common approach on options for governance of Caricom.

But the issue will be revisited at a special meeting of Community leaders, possibly in November.

A "Montego Bay Declaration" on regional governance and deeper union is expected to be refined for release by tomorrow.

The leaders are also reported to have "virtually settled arrangements" for the inauguration of the Caribbean Court of Justice, which is likely to take place on November 15 in Port-of-Spain.

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