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Cuba

Raul Castro's "Historic" Decision, Looking Ahead To New Cuban Leaders

GRANMA (CUBA), LA NACIÓN (COSTA RICA), SBS (AUSTRALIA

Worldcrunch

HAVANA – Cuban President Raúl Castro's reelection for a second term Sunday was no surprise. But Cuba is still absorbing the unexpected announcement that it would be Castro's final five-year mandate, and his naming of a much younger government minister to be his No. 2, and apparently anointed heir to power.

Monday's edition of the Communist party daily "Granma" declared the events "historic," pointing toward the end of the Castro brothers' uninterupted rule since the 1959 revolution.

The front-page headline paraphrases Raul Castro's announcement: "The historical transcendance of a defining step in the configuration of the future direction of the country"

At the Eighth Legislative National Assembly in the “Palacio de las Convenciones” in Havana, the rubber-stamp appointment of the younger brother of longtime leader Fidel Castro to a second term, was followed by the appointment of Miguel Díaz-Canel as vice-president, which would put him first in line to succeed Castro in 2018, as reported by state press.

“We will try to limit to a maximum of two consecutive five-year periods for top state and government officials and establish age limits,” Castro, 81, announced.

Díaz-Canel, 52, is a trained electronic engineer, and former military man who has served as Education Minister. He is the highest-ranking Cuban official who did not participate directly in the Cuban Revolution of 1959.

Díaz-Canel has also been a leader of the Communist Youth Union, and went on an international “mission” to Nicaragua during the first leftist Sandinista government.

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FOCUS: Russia-Ukraine War

Too Soon, Too Late: What’s Really Blocking Ukraine’s Entry To NATO?

Volodymyr Zelensky has made his demand clear: full NATO membership for Ukraine, perhaps as soon as this year. Yet member countries, from the U.S. to top European allies, are still stuck in the mindset of not “provoking” Russia. But if not now, when?

Image of Volodymyr Zelensky standing at the arrival ceremony for the Summit of the European Political Community in Bulboaca, Moldova

Volodymyr Zelensky standing at the arrival ceremony for the Summit of the European Political Community in Bulboaca, Moldova

Pierre Haski

-Analysis-

PARIS — Volodymyr Zelensky knows what he wants, and he’s not afraid to say it loud and say it clear. Yesterday in Chisinau, Moldova, before the leaders of 47 European states, the Ukrainian President demanded that NATO open its doors to Ukraine — and to do it as early as 2023.

"This is the year of decision", he added before an impressive array of heads of state and government gathered in Moldova, just across the border from his war-torn country.

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But it’s not that simple. Several of the Alliance's heavyweights, starting with its leader, the United States, are more than reluctant to let a country at war join an organization whose charter includes Article 5. This is the article that defines automatic solidarity with a member state under attack.

And beyond the United States, also Germany, and until recently France, which has begun to take action, fear being drawn unwittingly into a direct confrontation with Russia. For the past 15 months, they have been careful to calibrate their involvement so as not to become "co-belligerent," though that has not prevented them from arming Ukraine.

Between now and next month’s NATO summit in Vilnius, the U.S and its allies must find an answer to the pressing demands of Ukraine and its friends in Eastern Europe.

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