Bush Defeated at Ibero-American Summit

Mexico's President Vicente Fox congratulates Cuban Foeigh Minister Felipe Perez Roque for their 2 big victories at the Ibero-American Summit in Spain :)

MADRID (AFP) - The United States responded sharply to a statement by Latin American and Spanish foreign ministers at a meeting in Spain which criticized Washington's "blockade" of Cuba, saying Washington would be unhappy if such phraseology implied support for the Castro regime.

A final declaration at the assembly in Salamanca contained a resolution calling for an end to what it called an economic "blockade" instead of an "embargo" of Fidel Castro's Cuba. "Embargo" is the term preferred by Washington.

Wake up... it wasn't the word they chose to use to describe the blockade. It was the unanimous vote AGAINST its continuation (actually tightening) that expressed support for Cuba, on this most fundamental position at least. For if you don't address US hostility, all other issues in the relationship are non-starters.

The resolution was passed unanimously Thursday by foreign ministers of 19 Latin American countries and three European countries, Andorra, Portugal and Spain.

The embassy spokesman said the word "blockade" gave the impression of confusion over the use of the two terms.

The Spanish government pointed out Saturday that the term "blockade" to describe the more than 40-year-old US economic and trade embargo against Cuba was the term used by the United Nations.

The leaders also approved a Cuban-backed resolution on terrorism in which they supported steps "to achieve the extradition or bring to justice the person responsible for the terrorist attack on a Cubana de Aviacion plane in October 1976 which killed 73 civilians."

The leaders agreed to set up a coordinating mechanism to speed the response to natural disasters such as Hurricane Stan that recently lashed Central America and to work together for orderly migration while respecting migrants' human rights.

(Where again, Cuba has led the way in humanitarian assistance. They also have sent hundreds of Doctors to Pakistan)

The leaders threw their support behind schemes to forgive debt in return for investment in education and Zapatero said Spain was talking to six countries about such agreements

It's really good to see Spain exercising positive leadership in the America's. They say (Socialist) President Zapatero intends to re-orient Spain's foreign policy back to its former colonies, and restore balance to the US dominance in the region.