Mexico City: April 17, 2009: After backing Mexico's ongoing battle against drug cartels, US President Barack Obama is heading to a Western Hemisphere summit with a sudden spotlight on Cuba.

The president was to fly yesterday to the island of Trinidad for the 34-nation Summit of the Americas, a gathering to which Cuba, as the region's only non-democracy, is not invited. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a staunch ally of Cuba's communist government, vowed to torpedo a final summit communique in protest at the country's exclusion.

But Obama's move this week to ease travel and some other restrictions for Cuban-Americans brought an unprecedented reply from Havana. Raul Castro, who took over from his ailing brother, Fidel, a year ago, offered to talk to the Obama administration about all outstanding grievances.

Speaking from a meeting Chavez hosted in Venezuela, Raul Castro declared: "We have sent word to the US government in private and in public that we are willing to discuss everything - human rights, freedom of the press, political prisoners, everything."

Previously, Cubans had insisted their domestic politics were their own business. Administration officials were trying to determine what to make of the development.

On Tuesday, Obama lifted limits on visits by Americans with relatives in Cuba, eased restrictions on family gifts and cash payments, and moved to allow US telecom companies to expand service to the island.

But the 47-year-old US trade embargo remained in place, despite pleas from US allies that it's counterproductive.

"The embargo has been there long before we were even born," Mexican President Felipe Calderon said. "And yet things have not changed all that much in Cuba."

After talks with Calderon during a pre-summit stop in Mexico, Obama told reporters that further easing depends on Havana sending "signals that they're interested in liberalising."

He also sounded a note of caution. "A relationship that effectively has been frozen for 50 years is not going to thaw overnight," he said.

Chavez said the summit's final statement and its call for greater democracy reflected American hypocrisy. "I have no doubt there's more democracy in Cuba," he jeered.

Aides said Obama doesn't plan to meet with Chavez during a summit session, but if the fiery leftist approaches him, Obama would likely engage in polite conversation.

The summit will aim to "jump-start job creation, promote free and fair trade, and develop a coordinated response to this economic crisis," Obama said.

Source: Agencies

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