Cuba Politics News and Information
Cuba News and Information
By KIMBERLY HEFLING | Associated Press
Sen. Arlen Specter said Wednesday he hopes to meet with Cuban President Raul Castro and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez during a trip to Latin America in August.
“I’m a firm believer in dialogue,” the Pennsylvania Republican told reporters.
His announcement evoked memories of Campaign 2008 arguments earlier this year over when and under what circumstances a president should sit down with adversaries. Hillary Rodman Clinton for a time accused rival Barack Obama of embracing too-lenient a stance on such face-to-face meetings, a charge that Obama, now the nominee in waiting, repeatedly rebuffed. Presumed Republican nominee John McCain also has asserted that Obama would too eagerly embrace one-on-one face-offs with adversaries.
Speaking to reporters on a wide range of subjects Wednesday, Specter said his experience has been that meeting with world leaders leads to change.
“I think President McCain will understand ... an independent senator that has a different point of view,” he said when asked about his view vs. McCain’s on the matter.
Specter said he met with Fidel Castro during previous stops in Cuba and talked to him about drug interdiction. He said he’d like to follow that up with Raul Castro, as well as to discuss trade and tourism during a visit there. He said he believes the United States is “on the cusp” of re-establishing formal relations with Cuba.
“I’ve been to Cuba three times and I think the chances are really on the horizon for re-establishing relations with Cuba now that Fidel Castro is no longer in charge,” Specter said.
He said he wrote a letter to Raul Castro requesting a meeting, but has not heard back.
The senator said he met with Chavez in August 2005 in Venezuela and as part of his visit, a meeting was arranged with a Venezuelan official and a U.S. ambassador that led to the two countries developing a protocol for mutual cooperation on drug cases.
Nice to see Republican Senator Specter, is not just a lap dog of “W”, and Republican Party Presidential nominee Senator John W. McBush” and is willing to sit down and talk with some one he disagrees with. What a novel idea !!
I still think the “magic bullet” theory is a real stretch
Let’s restart these comments.
All of Roberto’s comments have been deleted.
Roberto if you are reading this.
1. Stay on topic.
2. Don’t post one comment after another after another that has nothing to do with the original post.
Thanks.
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This is my signature - get yours in Your Control Panel. Go ahead and add a link to your site. Self promotion is permitted as long as it is beneficial to our community.
You are trying to save people that cannot be saved and their nothing Bush or Mccain can do and it doesn’t matter wheather Cuba or US has to another 4 or 8 years when judgement comes it will be quickly and swiftly. You cannot go agianst your own family and think you going to get away with it. Cuba will be free under Socialism not Capitalism.
Just found this at dailylocal.com:
In addition to a tour of the state, Specter’s August recess will include a trip to Latin America.
He originally planned to go to Cuba to meet with Raoul Castro and to Venezuela to meet with Hugo Chavez. But the Cuban government told Specter there is not enough time to arrange a trip.
“I’m surprised,” Specter said. “I’ve been to Cuba three times in the last decade and have had very good meetings with Fidel Castro.”
The meeting with Chavez, however, looks like it will still happen, Specter said. He also met with Chavez in 2005.
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This is my signature - get yours in Your Control Panel. Go ahead and add a link to your site. Self promotion is permitted as long as it is beneficial to our community.
You know why The Cubans said that there wasn’t enough time to arrange the tripe. It is because Cuba wants something tangible, They want the Embargo to be lifted and Cuba relations to improve and with this present Administration that is not going to happen. Just asked yourself as a Cuban or Cuban American are Cuban relations better off then they were 8 years ago? And do you want them to get better?
