Obama: Time for a new startSEAN DOUGLAS Saturday, April 18 2009
UNITED States President Barack Obama said he wants a new beginning in US-Cuba relations, but is also serious in wanting to address human rights issues in Cuba, as he addressed hundreds of guests at the opening ceremony of the Fifth Summit of the Americas last evening at the Hyatt Regency in Port-of-Spain.
His remarks followed an earlier tirade against former US administrations by leftist Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega, plus condemnation of the US embargo of Cuba from Argentina President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. Cuba has arisen as a central theme of the summit, although not formally listed, and Obama’s address followed a flurry of positive exchanges with Cuban president Raul Castro.
Obama began to make his point last night by making general references to freedom, saying the region’s people have the right to pursue their dreams and that, “we must stand up against any force separating people from liberty”.
Obama also alluded that Cuba’s status need not be an all-or-nothing matter but could be one of gradual steps of improvement. He then said he wanted a new relationship with Cuba.
“The United States seeks a new beginning with Cuba. I know there is a longer journey that must be travelled in overcoming decades of mistrust, but there are critical steps we can take towards a new day.”
However, Obama also put the onus on Cuba to engage, as he said: “Over the past two years, I have indicated and I repeat today that I am prepared to have my administration engage with the Cuban government on a wide range of issues, from human rights, free speech and democratic reform, to drugs, migration and economic issues.”
Obama seemed to distance himself from past US administrations, saying countries must not be prisoners of the past. Obama said he wanted a new sense of partnership. He said there would be no senior partner and no junior partner, but a new chapter of engagement.
Pledging a new anti-crime fund, he said: “Too many people in the Americas live in fear. We must not tolerate violence and insecurity no matter where it comes from.” He vowed to try to tackle the illicit drug crisis by reducing demand for drugs in the US.
Obama sought to ease tensions raised by Ortega’s hour-long speech which centred on his country’s troubled relations with Obama’s predecessors, such as the late president Ronald Reagan. Ortega made no apologies for the length of time he took since he had an equally long wait in a jet parked at Piarco International Airport, to accommodate the arrivals of other leaders, including president Obama who landed on Air Force One.
“I will speak longer because of the long time I had to wait at the airport to leave my plane, as so many of my other friends’ planes were arriving,” said Ortega.
In his address, the Nicargua leader made an appeal for Cuba and Puerto Rico, a dominion of the US, to become members of the Organisation of American States (OAS). Incidentally, Obama did not mention Puerto Rico in his speech, but did jokingly thank Ortega for not blaming him for the policies implemented by past US presidents, since he would have been only “three months old” during their administrations.
Kirchner also raised the Cuba question calling on the US to lift its trade embargo on the communist island. She too said it was a time for change among the leaders of the hemisphere. Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow also spoke at the opening ceremony, addressing the impact of the global economic crisis.
