Today, the political blogosphere is all about Obama's visit to Saudi Arabia. But another milestone took place a few hours ago, also in a foreign land, that may have a huge impact on American foreign policy. The foreign ministers of 34 countries of the Americas (including US Hillary Clinton) met yesterday and today in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, to discuss the status of Cuba in the Organization of American States (OAS). After hours of negotiations (that were preceded by months of negotiations by lower-ranking diplomats), all 34 countries decided unanimously to discontinue the measures imposed by Resolution VI of the Eighth Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, held in Uruguay in 1962, which excluded the government of Cuba from participating in the inter-American system. Although the foreign ministers also noted that Cuba’s re-entry to the OAS will happen only at the request of the government of Cuba and through a process that involves upholding the principles of democracy and respect for human rights by Cuba, this resolution is already stirring up debate among Cuban-Americans based in Miami and even among some anti-Cuba senators. Leaving aside what I think about Cuba's re-entry in the inter-American system, I must confess that I was a bit disappointed to find out that this topic was almost ignored by political blogs, except for a few exceptions.
If anyone is interested, here are two good videos posted in You Tube, although before the approval of the resolution, which give a summary of what was happening with Cuba.
Clinton outlines conditions for Cuba entry to OAS
OAS discusses Cuba's re-entry
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2 comments:
Now I´m really surprised. I can´t say that I keep good track of the U.S political blogosphere, and that´s why I didn´t notice the problem: Cuba was THE topic in the political blogs from South America that I track. Probably, it also plays a role that the secretary of OAS, José Miguel Insulza, is Chilean, thereforechilean political boggers (most of the South American ones I follow) were very aware of what was going on. Very nice post from you: I´ll see if I can find some blogs written in the U.S about it.
I know we´re supposed to talk about the media, like you did, but I can´t hold back one comment on the banning being discontinued: the question is, who needs who? Cuba doesn´t seem to need the OAS and that´s one of the reasons why, as you said, it´s gonna be a few years before they ask for being addmitted. They have to ask for it, and they won´t ´cause they don´t need it.
Actually, I think it is the OAS and the U.S who need Cuba in the organization: Nicaragua, Ecuador and Venezuela said that, if the measures against Cuba were to be kept, they would create another organization for Latin American countries, Caribbean included, and exclude the U.S from participation in it!! And that is what leads me to think that it was actually, the U.S who needed the measures to be discontinued, although their leaders couldnt put it that way.
By discontinuing the measure but not actually having Cuba in OAS, all the participating parts are happy: the U.S keeps its influence, Cuba keeps its independence and distance, the Latin American countries are free of any guilt feelings, and Insulza reconciliated his present functions with his past political activities :)
Maite, thanks for your comment. After posting this, I realized that maybe I didn't specify clearly that I was referring to the English-speaking blogosphere.
As for the other part of your comment, I also appreciate it, but I'm sorry I can't answer it online because I work for the OAS. We can talk about it offline though! :)
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