By Mitchell Brown. Wednesday, March 28, 2001 Back The
Halifax Herald Limited
Don't be upset that Cuba isn't invited to next month's Summit of the
Americas in Quebec City, because the Cuban ambassador to Canada isn't.
"None whatsoever," Carlos Fernandez de Cossio said Monday when
asked about his hopes for the conference.
"We're not invited, and we don't think much is going to happen there."
Mr. de Cossio is in Halifax this week to discuss trade and cultural issues
with students, business people and elected officials.
His comments about the summit, which will bring together leaders from every
country in the Western Hemisphere except Cuba, were part of an hour-long
discussion with The Herald's editorial board.
Despite efforts by Caribbean leaders to bring Cuba to the table, Canadian
and American officials are standing firm, saying the country's lack of
democratic elections disqualifies it from participating in hemispheric
free-trade talks.
The lack of invitation is something Mr. de Cossio says does not concern his
government because it doubts the summit will tackle the real problems affecting
Latin American nations.
"I don't think the summit is going to be able to do anything in the
areas of drug trafficking, corruption, the level of poverty or violence in the
area . . . all these points are in the agenda, but beyond the speeches, I don't
know what they're going to do," he said.
The main barrier to Cuba's participation is the United States, which has had
an embargo against Cuba since the 1960s.
And with Republican George W. Bush in the White House, Mr. de Cossio doesn't
expect that to change soon.
"The president's brother is the governor of Florida, the state that got
him elected, in many ways . . . if not the state, then at least the power
structure," he said.
"It is also the state where the anti-Cuban sectors within the U.S. are
galvanized. So why would this president do what (former president Bill) Clinton
was not ready to do?"
As for Canada, Mr. de Cossio said he believes his country enjoys a good
relationship with us. But Cuba "cannot have false expectations with how far
our relationship can go politically," he said.
"While we face - if not similar problems - similar tensions dealing
with an influential neighbour, in Cuba we understand what it means for Canada to
have 87 per cent of its trade with the U.S. and what that implies."
But there are growing ties between Canada and Cuba, he said - cultural and
educational exchanges, and especially an increase in the number of Canadians
visiting Cuba.
"In 1991, out of all the Maritime provinces, there were 2,000 tourists
in Cuba," he said. "Last year, Nova Scotia alone sent close to 20,000."
He added that Canadians are expected to make about 380,000 visits to Cuba
this year.
Mr. de Cossio also met with students at Dalhousie University and Saint
Patrick's High School before visiting the Atlantic offices of Canada World Youth
to discuss an exchange program.
He was to meet with provincial, municipal and business leaders today. | 