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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – U.S. President Barack Obama will seek stronger cooperation with Latin America at a summit marking a "new beginning" for hemispheric relations, an adviser said Thursday.
Jeffrey Davidow, the White House adviser for the Summit of the Americas, said the April 17-19 gathering in Trinidad and Tobago is an opportunity to build on regional excitement about the new American president.
"Coming so early in the administration, this legitimately can be seen as a new beginning," Davidow said during a panel discussion in Washington, with reporters listening in on a conference call.
At the summit of 34 democratic nations, Davidow said the administration will focus on the global financial crisis, energy policy and public security — but not Cuba, which is not invited because of its communist leadership.
Davidow said debate over Cuba would be an "unfortunate" distraction, but he acknowledged the 47-year-old U.S. trade embargo against Cuba is likely to come up. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Bolivian President Evo Morales have said they want to push Obama on Cuba policy.
Luis Alberto Moreno, president of the Inter-American Development Bank, said Latin American nations fretting over the financial crisis will be watching Obama closely. Since the first Summit of the Americas in 1994, he said, governments in the region have grown more skeptical of U.S.-backed policy prescriptions.
"If the U.S. is in the tone of saying they are willing to listen, that is great, but they have to walk the walk," Moreno said.
Jeffrey Davidow, the White House adviser for the Summit of the Americas, said the April 17-19 gathering in Trinidad and Tobago is an opportunity to build on regional excitement about the new American president.
"Coming so early in the administration, this legitimately can be seen as a new beginning," Davidow said during a panel discussion in Washington, with reporters listening in on a conference call.
At the summit of 34 democratic nations, Davidow said the administration will focus on the global financial crisis, energy policy and public security — but not Cuba, which is not invited because of its communist leadership.
Davidow said debate over Cuba would be an "unfortunate" distraction, but he acknowledged the 47-year-old U.S. trade embargo against Cuba is likely to come up. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Bolivian President Evo Morales have said they want to push Obama on Cuba policy.
Luis Alberto Moreno, president of the Inter-American Development Bank, said Latin American nations fretting over the financial crisis will be watching Obama closely. Since the first Summit of the Americas in 1994, he said, governments in the region have grown more skeptical of U.S.-backed policy prescriptions.
"If the U.S. is in the tone of saying they are willing to listen, that is great, but they have to walk the walk," Moreno said.