11.   Patterson was supposed to leave Wednesday on a highly publicized lobbying trip to Britain to preserve European Union trade perks for Caribbean banana exports.

12.   A U.S. Virgin Islands lawmaker wants the territory to intervene in a dispute over Caribbean banana exports, warning a blow to the industry could encourage illegal immigration.

13.   At the same time, Washington has vowed to fight the privileged access Caribbean bananas get to the European Union market.

14.   Barbados said Monday it acknowledged the need for global trade competition but criticized a recent ruling that would end favorable terms for Caribbean banana producers.

15.   But the United States has also angered nations in the region by challenging European trade benefits for Caribbean banana exports before the World Trade Organization.

16.   Caribbean Community leaders will hold a special meeting in the Dominican Republic on Friday to discuss the U.S.-European trade war over Caribbean bananas, Caricom said Wednesday.

17.   Caricom is embroiled in a dispute with the United States and Latin American banana producers over European Union trade policies that favor Caribbean banana producers.

18.   Caribbean banana growers fear the ruling will destroy their industry, pitting them against larger Latin American producers.

19.   Caricom is in a dispute with the United States and Latin American banana producers over European Union trade policies that favor Caribbean banana producers.

20.   Chiquita and other U.S. banana exporting companies have threatened the protected status of the Caribbean banana producers in the lucrative European Union market.