Cuba’s Presence at Summit of the Americas up to Colombia

HAVANA TIMES, Feb 21 — Colombia has the authority to approve Cuba’s attendance at the upcoming Summit of the Americas (April 14-15), said Jean Michel Arrighi, the secretary of Legal Affairs of the Organization of American States (OAS), speaking Monday in Asuncion.

The official noted that, “It will be a matter obtaining the agreement of the other countries participating in the meeting as to whether they want (Cuba’s) participation or not.”

“It’s totally beyond my authority, this is not an issue of the OAS,” said Arrighi.

The controversy over the possible attendance by Cuba at the regional summit has as its main actors to the governments of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) bloc on one side, and the US government on the other, while the Colombian foreign minister is attempting to find a consensus between the parties.