Castro urges region to cooperate more

HAVANA – Cuban President Raul Castro called on Latin American and Caribbean leaders Tuesday to work together on pressing regional problems at a gathering of all Western Hemisphere nations except the U.S. and Canada.

In his keynote speech as host for the summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, or CELAC for its initials in Spanish, Castro argued that the bloc should aspire to unity despite diversity, describing it as “the legitimate representative of the interests of Latin America and the Caribbean.”

“We should establish a new regional and international cooperation paradigm,” Castro said. “In the context of CELAC, we have the possibility to create a model of our own making, adapted to our realities, based on the principles of mutual benefit.”

Abbas willing to accept limited transition time

JERUSALEM – Palestinians can accept a limited Israeli presence in the West Bank for up to three years after a peace deal, but reject demands for a transition period of more than 10 years, their leader said in comments broadcast Tuesday.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reiterated a long-standing position, suggesting that there’s been little movement in U.S.-mediated talks toward narrowing the gaps between the two sides.

In an interview broadcast at an Israeli security conference, Abbas appeared to be speaking about the Jordan Valley, an area in the West Bank that borders Jordan and has become a central issue in Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. Israel wants a continued presence along the strategic border and Palestinians demand they withdraw once a Palestinian state is formed.

Abbas said a third party like NATO could take over security arrangements during the withdrawal time.

Associated Press