Cuba accuses US of excluding certain countries from regional summit

HAVANA -- There is no single reason to justify the US government's "undemocratic and arbitrary exclusion" of any country of the hemisphere from the 9th Summit of the Americas, the Cuban government said Monday in a statement.

The US government, abusing its privilege of being the host country, decided at a very early stage to exclude Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua from the summit, read the statement.

Washington used pressure, threats and blackmail against governments in the region, it said.

"Cuba appreciates and respects the worthy, courageous and legitimate position of numerous governments in defense of the participation of all, under equal conditions," said the statement.

The United States underestimated the support Cuba enjoys in the region when it attempted to impose its unilateral and hostile policy towards the Caribbean nation, said the statement.

"Our region demands cooperation, not exclusion; solidarity, not meanness; respect, not arrogance; sovereignty and self-determination, not subordination," it added.