EU skirts gay, illegal immigrant rows in deal with poor nations

(BRUSSELS) - Negotiators on Friday avoided disputes over gay and illegal immigrant rights between European and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) nations to revise a development agreement.

Talks with the 78 ACP nations on revising the 2000 Cotonou Agreement, which mainly concerns trade and political cooperation, had been bogged down over EU calls to end discrimination against gays and the issue of returning illegal immigrants to their country of origin.

But European Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs, alongside an ACP delegation, on Friday initialled the "partnership agreement" first signed in June 2000 in Cotonou, Benin, and revised five years ago.

It is due to be formally signed in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in June.

The revision centres on calls for an improvement in the distribution of development aid and tweaks trade components to lessen barriers to ACP countries.

It will also aim to tackle the proliferation of small arms and the threats posed by organised crime, and people and drugs trafficking.

ACP countries refused to include a declaration on gay rights, although a compromise made reference to universal human rights declarations which forbid discrimination on the grounds of race, opinion, sex or "all other situations," Piebalgs told reporters.

Some African, Caribbean and Pacific nations still regard homosexuality as a crime.

In Uganda, for example, an anti-homosexual law is being examined by parliament.

On the question of returning immigrants, both sides agreed to "pursue discussions" ahead of the June signing.

An ACP diplomat said on Thursday that the 78 nations wanted the question of immigrant returnees to be dealt with in bilateral deals, country by country, rather than as part of Cotonou.