Last week (24th June 2011) the First minister of Wales travelled to Brittany to reaffirm the ?special relationship? that the two nations enjoy.
Welsh First Minister, Carwyn Jones, was invited to address the Breton Regional Council in Rennes by the President of the regional Council, Jean-Yves le Drian. In 2005 Brittany and Wales signed a ?Memorandum of Understanding? in Caerdydd/Cardiff , which aimed to forge closer cooperation between the two Celtic nations in the areas including culture, language, health and sustainable development. During the meeting on Friday Mr Le Drian and Mr Jones signed a document reaffirming their continued cooperation, which Mr Jones described as producing a real ?mutual benefit? adding:
?By working together we shape and influence policy on an international stage and further promote the role of regional governments. Wales and Brittany are both longstanding members of The Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR). With our work on Cohesion Policy and Common Agricultural Policy reform CPMR is an example of how regional cooperation can have real benefits.?
Other areas highlighted by the two Ministers where further cooperation could be developed included climate change and submitting a joint bid to EuropeAid to increase the amount of community-level engagement with Sub-Saharan Africa.
Link:
The Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR):
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.
TEL: +44 (0)1209319912
Mobile: +44 (0) 7787318666
Email: gensec@celticleague.net
Internet site at:
■