‘No consensus’ on Cuba at OAS talks
Americas leaders fail to reach agreement on readmission of Havana into regional bloc.
Manuel Zelaya, the Honduran president, had earlier said Cuba’s suspension had “punished an entire people for having proclaimed socialist ideas and principles that today are practised in all parts of the world”.
Cuba was barred from the group in 1962 after it sought the support of the then Soviet Union.
Havana has said it is not interested in rejoining the group.
Restrictions eased
Latin American countries have restored diplomatic relations with Cuba in recent months and also pushed for an end to a crippling US economic embargo.
Since taking office in January, the administration of Barack Obama, the US president, has called past US policies a failure and moved to strengthen ties with the Caribbean island.
In April, Washington lifted curbs on travel to Cuba, as well as money transfers by Cuban-Americans to relatives in Cuba.
It has also announced in the last few days that Cuba had agreed to resume talks on immigration to the US and begin discussions on direct mail links.