Trip to Cuba show Canada's independence

Published Tuesday, April 21, 1998, in the Miami Herald

Trip to Cuba show Canada's independence

OTTAWA -- (AFP) -- The announcement that Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien will visit Cuba this month served to demonstrate that Canada's foreign policy is independent of Washington, government officials here say.

Chretien announced his visit to the communist-ruled Caribbean nation at the Summit of the Americas in Santiago Saturday, as pressure built among the Latin American leaders there to include Havana in hemispheric projects.

Cuba was the only country in the region not invited to the summit.

The groundwork for Chretien's visit, expected to take place next Monday and Tuesday, has been laid through recent trips by high-ranking Canadian officials -- Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy and Speaker of the House of Commons Gil Parent.

Ottawa encourages Canadian firms to invest in Cuba, especially in the tourism and energy sectors. Several weeks ago, Cuba and Canada signed agreements one of which increased the number of flights between the two countries.