US not contemplating the end of the embargo on Cuba

Thursday, June 4th 2009 - 10:29 pm UTC
US not contemplating the end of the embargo on Cuba

The United States government said it was satisfied with the resolution
which revoked OAS sanctions on Cuba, but warned that it's "not
contemplating" for the moment talking about an end on the half century
embargo on the Havana regime.

Revocation "eliminates an argument from the past" said Dan Restrepo the
White House Security Council Hemispheric Affairs official.

Speaking before leaving the OAS general assembly meeting in Honduras
Restrepo added that US support to the resolution that lifted the 1962
sanctions, "is about extending a friendly hand to the Cuban people".

Asked about the US embargo and economic sanctions, Restrepo said "we're
not talking of lifting the embargo; that is not being contemplated
currently, we are keeping to course".

President Barack Obama administration's "is focused on looking for
policies that advance our national interests and support the wishes of
the Cuban people to determine their own future".

Restrepo described the Honduras consensus among the 34 country members
of OAS as "historic" in the path "to advance in the defence of the
inter-American system basic principles".

"It's always positive to reinforce inter-American institutions,
democracy and human rights", he added.

The resolution agreed on consensus which opens the way for the return of
Cuba to OAS states that the participation "will be the result of a
process of dialogue begun at the request of the Cuban government and in
line with the practices, purposes and principles of the OAS".

"The resolution is plain clear that the return process is based on basic
principles enshrined in the OAS charter and other fundamental
instruments that include democracy, self determination and non
interference", underlined Restrepo.

In 2001, the OAS adopted the Inter American Democratic Charter which
reaffirmed democracy, human rights and free and fair elections.

In one of its main articles the Charter establishes that "essential
elements of representative democracy are the holding of free and fair
elections as an expression of popular sovereignty, access to power
through constitutional means, a pluralist system of political parties
and organizations and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms".

US not contemplating the end of the embargo on Cuba — MercoPress (4 June
2009)

http://en.mercopress.com/2009/06/04/us-not-contemplating-the-end-of-the-embargo-on-cuba