Odds and ends

• Senator Lugar writes President Obama to urge two diplomatic steps: naming of an official to conduct talks with Cuba, and dropping U.S. opposition to OAS discussion of Cuba’s return to full OAS membership. The OAS Secretary General says (once again) that a way should be found to bring Cuba back into the OAS.

• The organizers of the art festival where artist Tania Bruguera’s open mike/free speech exhibit turned into, well, free speech, were not amused. Their statement is here; Reuters coverage here; New York Times coverage of the festival itself is here.

• Add this to the “Cuba summit” list: the Trinidadian Ambassador to Washington tells the Herald that Cuba will be discussed at the Summit of the Americas because it’s “on everybody’s mind. “Latins are very much in favor of admitting Cuba to the hemispheric organizations. I think there is a lot of sympathy and support,” she said.

• Former President Bill Clinton was asked about Cuba policy at a conference in Colombia. Notimex reports that he noted that President Obama is reviewing the policy and “we have to trust in him and see what he has to say.” He talked about Cuba policy during his Administration and how Congress took away his flexibility with the Helms-Burton law – as if he didn’t sign it.

• Bad news: the Sun Sentinel’s Havana bureau, in operation since 2001, is closing and its correspondent, Ray Sanchez, is coming home.