The General Secretary of the Celtic League has written to Lys Kernow/Cornwall Council to enquire what level of cooperation exists between it and the Breton Regional Council.
The letter from the GS follows a visit last week of the First Minister of the Welsh Senedd (Government) to reaffirm the «special relationship» that exists between Wales and Brittany. The full text of the letter is set out below and has been copied to Minister Edwina Hart from the Welsh Senedd for their interest.
Councillor Leader Alec Robinson
Lys Kernow/Cornwall Council
28 June 2011
leader@cornwall.gov.uk
Dear Councillor Leader Alec Robinson
Memorandum of Understanding
I am writing to ask if Lys Kernow/Cornwall Council has considered the possibility of agreeing a «memorandum of understanding» between Cornwall and Brittany in much the same way as Wales and Brittany signed such a memorandum in 2004.
You may be aware that last week (24th June 2011) Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones visited Brittany to talk at the Breton Regional Council, where he reaffirmed his administration's intention for continued cooperation between Wales and Brittany, while at the same time identifying other areas where cooperation could be further developed, such as in the field of climate change. Monitoring the effects of climate change I believe is an area of interest to Cornwall Council too and with the location of the United Nations CLIMSAT centre in Brittany, it may be mutually beneficial if a closer relationship was forged in this area.
With Cornwall and Brittany being in such close geographical proximity and the many existing cultural and linguistic links between the two areas, would it not be pertinent to formalise this relationship further with a «memorandum of understanding»
With regard to Wales, can I ask what level of cooperation is undertaken between Lys Kernow/Cornwall Council and the Welsh Senedd (Government)? I am aware that Lys Kernow/Cornwall Council has ?observer status? on the British Irish Council and that some forms of cooperation between Wales and Cornwall is inevitable in this regard, but what other measures of cooperative work is undertaken between the two administrations?
Also I would like to know who the Lys Kernow/Cornwall Council representative is on the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR), which I understand Cornwall Council to be a member of? I have copied Minister Hart from the Welsh Senedd into this correspondence, because I believe she may be able to give some indication about how the relationship between Wales and Brittany was initially formalised and any potential areas for further cooperation between Wales and Cornwall in the future.
Many thanks for your consideration in these matters.
Yours sincerely
Rhisiart Tal-e-bot
General Secretary
Celtic League
CC
Edwina Hart MBE OStJ AM,
correspondence.edwina.hart@wales.gsi.gov.uk
Rhisiart Tal-e-bot
General Secretary
Celtic League
29/06/11
The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It works to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on a broad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses on socio-economic issues.
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