Audio: Senator Robert Menendez at the 39th Washington Conference

May 13, 2009

(Photo: Pam Risdon)

Addressing the 39th Washington Conference on the Americas, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) talked about some of the shortcomings of the recent Summit of the Americas. On the recent opening in U.S.-Cuban relations, the senator said that it “would be wise to see if recent overtures are reciprocated and then take it from there.” Menendez cautioned that, at the June OAS assembly, some may advocate for Cuba to participate in the OAS without any advancement in liberty or human rights. To do so would be a grave mistake, and he questioned whether the United States should continue to pay 60 percent of the OAS budget if it were to admit Cuba, a violation of the Inter-American Democratic Charter. Read a summary of his remarks.

Listen to the senator's remarks: Download an mp3 of the audio.

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