The United States is expecting a “constructive and serious” debate on drug legalization at the upcoming Summit of the Americas, the U.S. Ambassador to Colombia has told Radio Caracol.
“We fully recognize that there is a shared responsibility to reduce drug use, and cooperate internationally,” said Peter Michael McKinley.
In an interview outlining the U.S. delegation’s aims for the Summit, Peter Michael McKinley said the meeting should serve to redefine relations with Latin America.
He defended the exclusion of Cuba from the meeting, citing a consensus among members of the Organization of American States, which organizes the summit, to admit only democratic countries.
He praised the good relationship between President Juan Manuel Santos and President Barack Obama, and did not rule out that Cuba would be among the many topics discussed between the two leaders.
The Summit, which brings together 34 heads of state across North, South and Central America, runs April 14 and 15 in Cartagena.