Friday, June 05, 2009

Cuba: Cuba says "no" to OAS membership

Cuba is declining to rejoin the Organization of American States, but calls the group's decision to lift a 47-year suspension against it a "major victory."

Cuban National Assembly President Ricardo Alarcon told journalists in Havana Thursday the organization's decision to lift the 1962 suspension does not alter what Cuba thought yesterday or the day before.

Before the OAS decision, Cuba said it had no interest in resuming its membership.

The OAS said Cuba's re-entry would be the result of a "process of dialogue" under the group's "practices, proposals and principles" - an indirect reference to human-rights protections and democracy.

The 34-member group made its decision on the second and final day of its General Assembly in Honduras.

Cuba was suspended because of its communist government and Soviet bloc ties.

Agencies
Published by Mike Hitchen, Mike Hitchen Consulting
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