Imposing Conditions, O.A.S. Lifts Its Suspension of Cuba

Imposing Conditions, O.A.S. Lifts Its Suspension of Cuba
By GINGER THOMPSON
Published: June 3, 2009

WASHINGTON — After two days of intense negotiations, the Organization of
American States agreed Wednesday to lift a cold war provision that
suspended Cuba from the group but also accepted a list of conditions,
backed by Washington, that Havana would have to meet before being
allowed to return.
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The compromise was a stunning about-face for the 34-nation group, which
had been in what appeared to be an intractable stalemate that threatened
to polarize the hemisphere.

On one side, Washington had opposed any measure that would have ended
Cuba's suspension — imposed in 1962 — without requiring that the island
nation agree to abide by the organization's democratic principles before
being allowed to return. Venezuela and Nicaragua led the opposition to
any provision that set conditions for Cuba's return.

On Wednesday, however, Venezuela and Nicaragua suddenly backed away from
their hard line. A senior State Department official said President Obama
had called at least one of his Latin American counterparts — including
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil — to press for help in
ending the impasse.

A Latin American diplomat said that the risk of losing United States
support for the organization, which gets 60 percent of its funds from
Washington, weighed heavily on the group's thinking.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity, according to diplomatic
protocol.

In the end, each side claimed victory, hailing the compromise as
historic, even though it was largely symbolic. The resolution, for
example, says that Cuba cannot return unless it asks to, and Havana has
said repeatedly it has no interest in rejoining the group, which
President Raúl Castro has denounced as a tool of American domination.

Still, the difficult diplomatic exercise was a turning point for a
region long dominated by the United States. Washington moved
significantly closer to other governments in the hemisphere on the
emotional issue of how to deal with Cuba. And officials speculated that
the good will generated by the compromise could go a long way to bolster
Washington's relations with a region that has long complained of being
treated as a junior partner.

President Manuel Zelaya of Honduras said, "The cold war has ended today
here in San Pedro Sula," where the organization was meeting, Reuters
reported. "We have made a wise and honorable decision."

In a written statement, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said,
"The member nations of the O.A.S. showed flexibility and openness today,
and as a result we reached a consensus that focuses on the future
instead of the past."

Mark Landler contributed reporting.

Imposing Conditions, O.A.S. Lifts Its Suspension of Cuba - NYTimes.com
(4 June 2009)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/world/americas/04cuba.html?ref=global-home