Page 12 - Aruba Today

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WORLD NEWSSaturday 30 January 2016
Cuba a low-key presence at US-Jamaican security conference
KATE CHAPPELL
Associated Press
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP)
— A delegation from Cuba
has taken part for the first
time in a Caribbean re-
gional security conference
co-hosted by the United
States. But officials sought
to downplay their par-
ticipation as the four-day
event came to a close Fri-
Colombia’s Santos wants FARC rebels off terror list
JOSHUA GOODMAN
JACOBO GARCIA
Associated Press
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP)
— President Juan Manu-
el Santos would like the
United States to remove
the Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia from
its list of terrorist organiza- as a point of no return, with to monitor an eventual
tions and suspend drug
warrants against guerrilla
commanders if he seals
a peace deal with Latin
America’s oldest leftist in-
surgency.
In an interview days be-
fore a key visit to the White
House, Santos made his
most-sweeping remarks in
three years of peace talks
about Washington’s impor-
tant role at the negotiat-
ing table. His Feb. 4 meet-
ing with President Barack
Obama will celebrate 15
years and some $10 billion
in U.S. counterinsurgency
and anti-narcotics aid to
its staunchest ally in the re-
gion.
The high-profile meet-
ing underscores Colom-
bia’s historic moment: the
peace talks taking place
in Cuba have reached
Puerto Rico seeks debt exchange deal with creditors
DANICA COTO
Associated Press
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)
— Puerto Rico is pushing
for a voluntary debt ex-
change deal with creditors
as it struggles to manage a
$72 billion public debt load
that the governor has said
is unpayable and needs re-
structuring.
Top officials in the U.S. ter-
ritory’s government ex-
pected to meet Friday with
creditors’ advisers to pres-
ent the proposal.
Gov. Alejandro Garcia Pa-

day in the Jamaican capi- for sending a delegation. ami-based Southern Com- this region. And so I believe
tal. He noted, however, that mand, noted that Cuba in the future we’ll have op-
Maj. Gen. Antony Bertram their presence was not a was one of the 18 countries portunities to find ways to
Anderson of the Jamaica focus of attention. from across the region tak- work together.”
Defense Force, which co- “They were at the table like ing part in discussions of The admiral said the sub-
hosted the event with U.S. everybody else,” Anderson humanitarian assistance, ject of the U.S. Navy base
Southern Command, start- said. “It was quite a normal disaster relief and other at Guantanamo Bay,
ed a closing news confer- thing. It is the first time but challenges. Cuba, did not come up.
ence by thanking the U.S. it is what it is. They are a re- “We share challenges, all The base is the oldest U.S.
for agreeing to invite Cuba gional country.” of the countries across this overseas military outpost
for the first time to the an- U.S. Navy Adm. Kurt Tidd, region,” Tidd said. “Cuba and the Cubans have long
nual event and the Cubans the new commander of Mi- is one of those countries in demanded its return.q

Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos answers a question during an interview at the Presi- administration to strike the
dential Palace in Bogota, Colombia, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016. President Santos is hoping the U.S. FARC from a State Depart-
will suspend drug warrants against guerrilla commanders and remove the Revolutionary Armed ment list of terrorist orga-
Forces of Colombia from a list of terrorist groups to help cinch a peace deal with Latin America’s nizations it has been on
insurgency. for almost two decades
alongside such groups as
(AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) al-Qaida and the Islamic
State.
what both sides describe dorsed sending a mission vast parts of the country he The FARC, which as part
says had been ceded by of peace talks has already
a final deal to end a half- accord, handing Santos the state to illegal armed renounced kidnapping
century of bloodshed ex- a diplomatic victory as he groups. and declared a unilateral
pected as early as March. tries to drum up funding for Once a deal is inked, San- truce, has long demanded
This week the U.N. Security what he said will be a 10- tos said it would be ap- it be excluded.
Council unanimously en- to 15-year effort to recover propriate for the Obama “If they sign it’s because
we have a timetable for
their disarmament and
they have committed
themselves to lay down
their arms and make this
transition to legal life. So I
would say yes, I hope that
they would be eliminated
from the terror list,” Santos
said Thursday at the presi-
dential palace.
When pressed about how
soon after the accord is
inked should the FARC be
removed, Santos said the
“the shorter the better.”
A Colombian paramilitary
umbrella group had to
wait a full six years after it
completely disarmed to be
removed. q

dilla declined to give de- to implement the restruc- rejected the idea of the ing and will help more
tails of the proposed deal. turing of our unsustainable federal government hav- Americans regain control
He reiterated a call for U.S. debt,” he said in a state- ing such oversight. of their own economic se-
Congress to provide Puerto ment. Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico’s curity,” he said.
Rico with a debt-restructur- The meeting with the advis- representative in Congress, Puerto Rico’s government
ing mechanism so it can ers comes just days before has said he expects a leg- recently defaulted on $37
avoid lawsuits as it tries to members of the U.S. House islative package to be un- million in interest on bonds
emerge from a nearly de- Subcommittee on Indian, veiled after Tuesday’s hear- and has said it does not
cade-long economic stag- Insular and Alaska Native ing. have the money to make
nation. Affairs hold a hearing to President Barack Obama upcoming payments, in-
“Despite our good-faith ef- talk about creating an au- stressed the need for a cluding a $400 million due
forts to find a common solu- thority to oversee Puerto comprehensive restruc- in May.
tion, Rico’s finances. turing authority during a Three bond insurers have
it will be very hard to reach Republicans have been speech late Thursday at a already filed lawsuits
an agreement with multiple pushing for a federal fiscal U.S. House Democratic Is- against the U.S. territory af-
issuers without having ac- control board, but some sues Conference. ter it diverted funds to meet
cess to a legal framework Puerto Rico officials have “(It) costs taxpayers noth- certain bond payments.q