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OAS 'agrees to let Cuba rejoin' OAS lifts Cuba's long suspension
(1 day later)
Foreign ministers of the Organization of American States have voted to lift Cuba's suspension, apparently paving the way for it to rejoin the group. The Organization of American States has voted to lift Cuba's suspension from the group, paving the way for it to be readmitted after nearly half a century.
Foreign ministers applauded after the resolution was passed following intense wrangling over US demands that Cuba face conditions on rejoining.
"The Cold War has ended," said summit host, Honduran President Manuel Zelaya.
Cuba was suspended from the 34-member OAS in 1962 over its "incompatible" adherence to Marxism-Leninism.Cuba was suspended from the 34-member OAS in 1962 over its "incompatible" adherence to Marxism-Leninism.
The US secretary of state, who left Honduras before the vote, had urged democratic reforms as a condition. It says it has no interest in rejoining the group - which Fidel Castro has described as a "Trojan horse" for American interference in the region.
The move came hours after former president Fidel Castro again said Cuba had no interest in rejoining the OAS. But our correspondent in Havana, Michael Voss, says Cuba watched with satisfaction as country after country stood up to the United States in Honduras and demanded that the communist island be allowed to rejoin.
Ecuador's Foreign Minister, Fander Falconi, said the decision was made "without conditions" but that it set mechanisms for Cuba's return including its agreement to comply with OAS conventions on human rights and other issues. Compromise
Clarifying terms After more than 47 years, OAS foreign ministers and ambassadors - who met in San Pedro Sula, Honduras - came to an agreement that laid to rest what was arguably the most contentious decision in its history, say correspondents.
The group's foreign ministers and ambassadors, who met in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, were expected to clarify the terms of their agreement in the coming hours.
Immediately following the announcement, Honduran President Manuel Zelaya said: "The Cold War has ended this day in San Pedro Sula."
The news came as former Cuban leader Fidel Castro reiterated that Cuba had no desire to rejoin.
Cuba was suspended three years after Fidel Castro's revolutionCuba was suspended three years after Fidel Castro's revolution
Writing in state newspapers on Wednesday, he said the OAS should not exist and historically had "opened the doors to the Trojan horse" of the US to "wreak havoc in Latin America". It overwhelmingly declared "without effect" the 31 January 1962 resolution which barred Cuba from the hemispheric body months after Mr Castro had declared it socialist and following the failed Bay of Pigs invasion by the US.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton left Honduras before the final vote, saying the organisation had been unable to reach consensus on Cuba. But in a diplomatic compromise which won the backing of the US in the final vote, the resolution called for Cuba's readmission to be based on a "process of dialogue" in line with OAS pro-democracy "practices, proposals and principles".
While the US looked forward to Cuba rejoining the group eventually, she said on the first day of the summit, "membership in the OAS must come with responsibilities". Despite initial American demands that Cuba should show progress on democracy and human rights before the ban was lifted, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton welcomed the final outcome as a success.
"It's not about reliving the past," she added. "It's about the future and being true to the founding principles of this organisation." She said Cuba's re-entry would turn on its "commitment to the organisation's values".
Many Latin American countries have pushed to readmit Cuba without preconditions, but the US wants Havana to undertake democratic reforms as a condition of re-admission. "I am pleased that everyone came to agree that Cuba cannot simply take its seat and that we must put Cuba's participation to a determination down the road - if it ever chooses to seek re-entry," she said.
'Amending history'
But some regional heads of state denied the vote imposed conditions as such on Cuba, and hailed the vote as the historic end to an anachronistic measure testifying to Washington's power over the OAS - and, historically, over the region it considered its "backyard".
OAS member states... could not move quickly enough to appease their tyrannical idols in Cuba US Republican Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
"What this generation is doing is basically amending history," said Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Fander Falconi, according to Efe news agency.
Since taking office, President Barack Obama has sought to ease tension between the US and Cuba, including ending restrictions on Cuban-Americans visiting and sending money to relatives.Since taking office, President Barack Obama has sought to ease tension between the US and Cuba, including ending restrictions on Cuban-Americans visiting and sending money to relatives.
Washington and Havana have also agreed to resume regular talks on migration issues.Washington and Havana have also agreed to resume regular talks on migration issues.
But Washington's decision to back the OAS vote incensed some lawmakers, including Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Miami Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
"Rather than upholding democratic principles and fundamental freedoms, OAS member states... could not move quickly enough to appease their tyrannical idols in Cuba," Ms Ros-Lehtinen said.