White House - A Cuba Envoy? If so, envoy will have responsibilities broader than Cuba

[magbana]

"White House says Cuba Envoy To Have Broader Responsibilities


In a conference call with reporters last night, White House National Security Council communications adviser Denis McDonough said President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Clinton have not nixed the idea of a special envoy for Cuba.

Responding to a question from Brazilian journalist Sergio Davila, McDonough said they like the idea floated by Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana -- but the person probably will have a broader scope than just Havana.

"As it relates to the special envoy, the President and Secretary Clinton remain very much committed to the idea of having someone in the administration working on these issues day in and day out, that sees the hemisphere as a region of fundamental importance and priority to the administration, but also sees it as a broader regional set of opportunities ... " he said. "And so the bottom line is that we remain committed to the idea, that Secretary Clinton and the President are actively working the issue."

He would not commit to a time frame for when the job would be filled but added that it'll have to be someone of "stature and capability." It won't help if the candidate knows a few folks up high. Credentials and a "proven relationship with both the Secretary and the President is much more important to us than is the time line on which we do it," McDonough said.

-Frances Robles"
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/cuban_colada/2009/04/white-house-says-cuba-envoy-to-have-broader-responsibilities.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. Any idea what the intention is with this bright idea? Coordinating the takeover?

If that's the idea, Cubans will want to have something to say about it.