Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of States, disappointed at Cuba’s response.

The US Secretary of States, Hillary Clinton, showed disappointment when Cuba’s leaders responded no will to normalize the ties with the country. The relations between Washington and the communist government have been given hopes under the Obama administration regarding to its attempts to improve ties. However, the response of the Castros government has torn any expectations as neither political reform nor ending for sanctions was an incentive. Cuba’s leaders still keep their blames for U.S. trade embargo, and believe that the U.S. together with Europe and Western media are playing an act to “demonise Cuba and to destabilize the country.” Meanwhile, Mrs Clinton drew a deep breath as she said Cuba didn’t want to see normalization because “they would lose all of their excuses for what hasn't happened in Cuba in the last 50 years." Improvement of the relation between these two countries seems not to be reality any time soon.
Read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8612765.stm

by Yen Do.

Hillary Clinton Encourages Devolution, Discourages Disruption of the Peace

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that a deal on policing is "within reach" in Northern Ireland. These comments came in response to the paramilitary Irish National Liberation Army pledging to cease the violence they have been inflicting. Sinn Fein and the DUP have been arguing that devolution in Ireland should have happened far sooner, while the British government has been cautious about devolving power, "saying it will only assent to devolution with an adequate financial package in place and broad community confidence". Hillary Clinton and Prime Minister Gordon Brown have been discussing how to effectively devolve the power from London to the government in Northern Ireland, and make basic day-to-day governing possible for the region. Mrs. Clinton is especially adamant about following the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, an agreement that basically guarantees a guided and stable devolution of Northern Ireland, until the conclusion of these talks. Ultimately, the goal is to limit violence and keep the region peaceful as the power is exchanged.

Sources: BBC and Northern Ireland Office

By: Grace Heimerl