PROGRAMME

CUBA: FUTURE PROSPECTS AND INTEGRATION INTO THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE

Friday 18 – Sunday 20 October 2002

 

689th WILTON PARK CONFERENCE

in co-operation with:

Caribbean Council, London,

European Commission, Brussels

Cuba Policy Foundation, Washington DC

Ford Foundation, New York

 

What are the economic, social and political prospects for Cuba over the next decade?  What reforms are likely in domestic policies?  What should be the main determinants of international policy towards Cuba?  How are Cuba-US relations likely to develop, and what will be their impact on others in their dealings with Cuba?  What role will Cuba play in the Caribbean and with its other American neighbours?  How should European policy develop towards Cuba?  How can engagement with Cuba and its people be developed?

FRIDAY 18 OCTOBER

1500

 

 

Introduction to the conference
Richard LATTER
Director, Wilton Park

 

 

INTRODUCTION

1515-1645

1

CUBA IN THE 21ST CENTURY:  CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE

Angel DALMAU
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Havana

 

 

ECONOMIC PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES

1730-1900

2

ASSESSING CUBA’S ECONOMIC PROSPECTS IN A GLOBALISING WORLD 

Alfredo GONZALEZ

Adviser to the Minister of Economy, Havana

and
Lorenzo PEREZ

Assistant Director, Western Hemisphere Department, International Monetary Fund, Washington DC

 

 

SATURDAY 19 OCTOBER

0915-1045

3

OVERCOMING THE CHALLENGES FOR CUBA’S ECONOMIC GROWTH: WHAT CAN CUBA LEARN FROM OTHERS?

Bernardo VEGA

Editor-in-Chief, El Caribe, Santiago

and

Iran MARQUETTI

Researcher, Centre for World Economic Studies, Havana

 

 

 

REGIONAL AND WIDER RELATIONSHIPS

1115-1245

4

CUBA IN THE CARIBBEAN:  WHAT ROLE COULD IT PLAY AND HOW CAN THIS BE ACHIEVED? 

Chair

Sir Sonny RAMPHAL

Former Chief Negotiator for the Caribbean, London

 

1530-1700

5

HOW SHOULD THE EUROPEAN UNION`S POLICY DEVELOP TOWARDS CUBA?

Friedrich HAMBURGER

Director, Caribbean, Development Directorate General, European Commission, Brussels

 

1730-1900

6

DISCUSSION GROUP TOPICS:

·         CO-OPERATING WITH CUBA ON COMMON ‘SOFT’ SECURITY ISSUES

Hal KLEPAK, Professor of Latin American History, Royal Military College, Ontario

 

·         HOW CAN ENGAGEMENT WITH CUBA AND ITS PEOPLE BE DEVELOPED?

Carlos Manuel CESPEDES, Vicar General, Havana
and Ana Maria BEJAR, Programme Co-ordinator Cuba, Save The Children UK, Havana

 

·         CUBAN PARTICIPATION IN THE CARIBBEAN ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT: HOW INVOLVED SHOULD CUBA BE, AND WITH WHAT IMPLICATIONS?

David JESSOP, Director, Caribbean Council, London

·         THE FREE TRADE AREA OF THE AMERICAS (FTAA) WITHOUT CUBA:  WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR CUBA AND THE REST OF THE AMERICAS?

Daniel ERIKSON, Director, Caribbean Programme, Inter-American Dialogue, Washington DC

 

 

 

 

SUNDAY 20 OCTOBER

 

0915-1100

7
US POLICY TOWARDS CUBA

Brian ALEXANDER
Executive Director, Cuba Policy Foundation, Washington DC
and
Alberto COLL
Senior Fellow, Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy, Newport, Rhode Island

 

1130-1230

8

FEEDBACK FROM DISCUSSION GROUPS

 

1230-1300

9

CONCLUDING SESSION: FUTURE PROSPECTS

Chair: Laurence WHITEHEAD, Official Fellow in Politics, Nuffield College, Oxford
John DEW, Head, Latin America and Caribbean Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London

 

1400

 

Participants depart