Friday, May 25, 2007

Posada debate broadens

The Luis Posada Carriles case, debated earlier this week at the UN, continues to move from U.S. courts and political debate into the diplomatic arena.

The OAS was not able to reach a consensus on a Venezuelan resolution criticizing U.S. handling of the case, but Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza said that “all crimes should be tried, including this one, hopefully in the country where they were committed or in the country whose citizens were involved.”

In Paraguay, the Mercosur countries noted that Posada is “implicated in the downing of a Cubana de Aviacion airliner in 1976” and called on the United States to “adopt measures that will permit his due trial.”

And in Washington, Assistant Secretary of State Tom Shannon told AFP that Posada remains under a deportation order, the U.S. government is “still examining Venezuela’s extradition request,” and the United States is “acting in good faith, recognizing our laws and obligations under international laws.”

The Venezuelan request to which Shannon refers was made in June 2005.

No comments: