US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton waves upon arriving at San Pedro Sula's military airport, Honduras on 01 June 2009

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says no consensus has been reached on re-admitting Cuba to the Organization of American States, which suspended the country in 1962 in response to its communist government.

Secretary Clinton made the comment Tuesday as she wrapped up a day of negotiations in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, where foreign ministers from the 34-member OAS have been holding their General Assembly.  

Clinton, who now heads to Egypt, has said Cuba must meet certain conditions before it can rejoin the OAS.  She says Cuba must release political prisoners and improve basic rights first.  

Earlier, Honduran President Manuel Zelaya urged that the resolution suspending Cuba's membership be revoked.  He told the gathering of foreign ministers it is time to correct what he called "that mistake."

Mr. Zelaya said failure to rescind the suspension would make Latin American nations "accomplices" in the decision.

The U.S. stance has left it increasingly isolated as several Latin American countries have restored diplomatic ties with Cuba and pushed for an end to the decades-old U.S. embargo.

Other OAS members, including Bolivia, Nicaragua and Venezuela, have described Cuba's exclusion from the OAS as a "mistake."  Cuba, for its part, has said it has no interest in resuming its OAS membership.

In addition to Cuba, delegates at the General Assembly are discussing ways to counter violence from drug gangs and others.  Clinton said the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama is seeking broader ties with the region, especially in the fight against drug traffickers.


Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.