Latest Thomas Shannon Stories
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Cuba's Communist government may redouble its efforts to assert control and assure the successful transition from Fidel to Raul Castro, but the plan won't work in the end, a senior U.S. official said on Friday. "While we might be at a moment of great change, we might also be at a moment of actually the regime hardening as it attempts to assert its control," Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Shannon told reporters. "Ultimately, this transfer won't work," Shannon...
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Cuba's Communist government may redouble its efforts to assert control and assure the successful transition from Fidel to Raul Castro, but the plan won't work in the end, a senior U.S. official said on Friday. "While we might be at a moment of great change, we might also be at a moment of actually the regime hardening as it attempts to assert its control," Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Shannon told reporters. "Ultimately, this transfer won't work," Shannon...
BEIJING (Reuters) - China and the United States wrapped up on Friday their first formal talks on Latin America, traditionally Washington's sphere of influence but now a target for energy and resource-hungry Beijing. Thomas Shannon, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere affairs, said he had held two days of talks with Chinese officials on Latin America, the first such consultations between the nations. The two sides discussed regional stability and agreed to create a...
By Patricia Wilson NASSAU, Bahamas (Reuters) - The United States and the Caribbean community needed to "close the breach" over Haiti and work to get more international help for the hemisphere's poorest country, a senior U.S. official said on Tuesday. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, meeting with CARICOM foreign ministers, hoped to encourage the 14-nation regional bloc to re-engage with Haiti after two years of fractious relations. Ties between the group and Washington also...
By Carol Giacomo, Diplomatic CorrespondentWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States, wary of potential "crossed wires" as China steps up its involvement in Washington's traditional sphere of influence in Latin America, plans to start a dialogue with Beijing on the issue.Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Shannon, who oversees Latin American affairs, said on Tuesday he would visit Beijing in early April, ahead of Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Washington later in the...
By Mary Milliken LA PAZ, Bolivia (Reuters) - Bolivian President-elect Evo Morales -- a longtime critic of the United States -- and Washington's top official for Latin America pledged to work together at a meeting on Saturday but made no mention of the war on drugs that divides them. Thomas Shannon, the new U.S. assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, called their first encounter "very important" and wished Morales success in his presidency that begins with...
By Mary Milliken BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Reuters) - The top U.S. official for Latin America said Washington needs to do "more work" in the region as populations demand better economic results from their democracies. Thomas Shannon, U.S. assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, said efforts to deepen democracy in Latin America must be linked to economic development programs and the ultimate goal is to reduce poverty. "This means more work on our part, more time in...
By Andrew Hay BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters) - The top U.S. policymaker for Latin America said on Tuesday he would seek dialogue with Bolivian President-elect Evo Morales despite the former coca leaf farmer's opposition to U.S. drug and trade policies. Thomas Shannon, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere affairs, said he hoped U.S. officials would sit down with Morales after his January 22 inauguration and discuss issues such as a U.S. coca eradication program, which...
By Saul Hudson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday accused Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez of making new enemies abroad to fire up supporters at home with demagoguery such as saying Washington plans to invade his country. In a new charge, the top U.S. diplomat for Latin America, Thomas Shannon, said Chavez relied on confrontation to fuel the nationalist passions of his key support base, the majority poor. Chavez's strategy is "based on confrontation and conflict, and...
By Saul Hudson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday accused Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez of making new enemies abroad to fire up supporters at home with demagoguery such as saying Washington plans to invade his country. In a new charge, the top U.S. diplomat for Latin America, Thomas Shannon, said Chavez relied on confrontation to fuel the nationalist passions of his key support base, the majority poor. Chavez's strategy is "based on confrontation and conflict, and...
