'A PASSING FAD?'
[El Nuevo Diario,
Nicaragua]
NRC Handelsblad, The Netherlands
U.S. and Cuba: May
Negotiation Prove More Effective than Exclusion
"American
trade restrictions haven't helped transform Cuba into a decent democratic
country. It's food for thought that Fidel Castro could remain in power for so
long and that his brother Raul, the long-time minister of defense, assumed the
leadership in 2006. The population of this Caribbean island was not consulted."
EDITORIAL
Translated By Meta Mertens
April 16, 2009
The Netherlands - NRC Handelsblad - Original
Article (Dutch)
In Cuba, the
Castro brothers have now shared power for half a century. And for 47 years they
have been thwarted with a trade blockade by the United States. President Obama
has now taken a step that could be the beginning of the end of the blockade.
Obama has done no
more than reverse some of the sanctions imposed by his predecessor Bush in 2004.
Cuban Americans can now visit their motherland unimpeded and are permitted to
send money to the island. That is by no means a lifting of the blockade. This
will require the consent of Congress which is traditionally susceptible to
pressure from a militant anti-Castro lobby which is led by Cuban refugees.
The blockade was
at its most effective in 1962, a year after the U.S.-organized Bay of Pigs
invasion. Bay of Pigs
was a completely failed attempt to end the Cuban Revolution which was led by, among
others, Fidel and Raul Castro and Che Guevara. But American
trade restrictions haven't helped transform Cuba into a decent democratic
country. It's food for thought that Fidel Castro could remain in power for so
long and that his brother Raul, the long-time minister of defense, assumed the
leadership in 2006. The population of this Caribbean island was not consulted.
Obama has said that
he wants to normalize relations with Cuba, and the visit [two weeks ago] to the
Castro brothers by six members of the U.S. Congress was an indication of a
changed attitude on the part of the Americans. It was no coincidence that the
gathering took place on the eve of the summit of the Organization of the
American States [the Fifth Summit of the Americas] this weekend in Trinidad and
Tobago. Latin American countries are almost unanimously opposed to the U.S. blockade
of Cuba. And there's a chance that Cuba could have its OAS membership restored,
which was rescinded under American pressure in 1962.
Posted
by WORLDMEETS.US
[El
Espectador, Colombia]
U.S. attempts to move
closer to Cuba could be an incentive for the European Union to continue its
efforts to enhance relations with the country. Contrary to the United States,
the European countries never broke diplomatic relations with Cuba, although for
years relations were chilly. Last year, the E.U. and Cuba decided to resume a
political dialogue and if possible, intensify these talks by 2010.
The decades-long
isolation of Cuba has had little or no positive effect on the situation of political
prisoners and humans rights in the country. Cuba is a poor one-party state with
a centrally-planned economy, which has left the potential of the island severely
underutilized.
Hopefully, dialogue
will be more effective than exclusion. And for those looking for a specific
Dutch interest: until recently, The Netherlands was one of Cuba's most important
trade partners. Thanks to the proximity of Saint Maarten, Saba and Saint
Eustatius, Cuba and the Kingdom of The Netherlands are practically neighbors.
Cuban dictator Raul Castro has responded by saying Cuba is
willing to discuss anything and everything with the U.S. - as
long as talks come 'without precondition' in a spirit of equality.
CLICK
PHOTO OR CLICK
HERE TO WATCH FROM BBC 
SEE ALSO ON THIS:
Granma, Cuba:
Castro: Easing of Cuba Restrictions 'Positive', But Not Nearly Enough
El Espectador, Colombia:
Cuba in Obama's Sites
Merco Press, Uruguay:
Lula Vows Not to Embarrass Obama Over Cuba Embargo
El Universal, Venezuela:
Of Obama and Chavez: 'Unconditional' Meetings and 'Equal' Treatment
El Caribe, Dominican Republic:
Obama's Task at Summit of the Americas: R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Gazeta, Russia:
Castro and Chavez Split Over Obama
Semana, Colombia:
Around the World, Politicians Have Learned from Nixon
Tal Cual, Venezuela:
Crimes of Hugo Chavez Worse than Richard Nixon's
CLICK HERE FOR DUTCH VERSION
[Posted
by WORLDMEETS.US April 17, 2:51pm]
