Live Summit Stream

[malaise]

http://www.fifthsummitoftheamericas.org/livestreams.aspx

[bananas]

1. Thanks! nt

[malaise]

2. I so wanted to be in Trinidad for this

but it's the last week of our semester.
I'm listening to the speeches carefully. Obama speaking now

They've started to replay from the beginning. Damn!

[malaise]

3. Excerpts from Obama and Ortega

http://www.cananews.net/news/131/ARTICLE/36949/2009-04-17.html
<snip>

“I did not come here to debate the past, I came here to deal with the future,” he said to loud applause, adding that while it was important to learn from history “we can’t be trapped by it.

“As neighbours we have a responsibility to each other and to our citizens and by working together we can take important steps forward to advance prosperity and security and liberty and that’s the 21st century agenda that we come together to enact,” Obama said.

“We must come together on behalf of our common prosperity,” he added.

But even as Obama was announcing a number of new multi-million dollar initiatives to help countries, including those in the Caribbean deal with the ongoing global economic crisis, climate change, the illegal drug trade, Washington was being reminded that the decision of the G-20 countries to provide billions of dollars to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to assist both developed and developing countries overcome the financial crisis must not be at the expense of small vulnerable states.

The rich countries were reminded that the IMF represented a tool of economic hardship in developing countries because of its stringent rules and further it was the policies of the developed world that have resulted in the present global crisis.

“It is not ethical that it is left to the G-20 countries to determine the future of our people. We should leave it up to the G192 countries, that would include everyone at the United Nations,” said Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega.

He told the opening ceremony that US policies towards his own country, as well as Cuba had resulted in tremendous hardship to citizens.

Ortega said he would refrain from describing the meeting here as a “Summit of the Americas” given Havana’s exclusion from the forum.

He said Cuba’s “only crime has been one of independence and fighting for the sovereignty of its people” and as a result they were being punished despite Havana’s efforts to forge closer relations with the entire Americas.

“I don’t feel comfortable attending...the summit is still subjected to the colonising policies,” the Nicaraguan leader added, predicting that Cuba would soon be part of a movement involving all the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.

“I am convinced, I am sure of that day will come,” he said.
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