by Xinhua Writer Jiang Guopeng

    PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago, April 19 (Xinhua) -- By easing restrictions on Cuba, outreaching to Venezuela's Hugo Chavez and his allies, U.S. President Barack Obama's low profile and approachable debut before his Latin American counterparts has well illustrated his policy toward the region -- from partnership to leadership.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez gives U.S. President Barack Obama a copy of "Las Venas Abiertas de America Latina" by author Eduardo Galiano during a meeting at the Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad April 18, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    The president's initiative for reducing tensions with Havana and Caracas highlighted the Fifth Summit of the Americas, held here from Friday to Sunday in the capital of Trinidad and Tobago.

    More remarkably, by setting the tone for the U.S.-Latin American relationship as "partnership," Obama has been trying to assure the Western Hemispherical countries that the new U.S. administration wants to build an "equal relationship" with them.

    Should the American countries believe or accept such a doctrine, it would mean that they actually reaffirm the leadership of the United States in the hemisphere, as analysts believe that promoting partnership is an effective way for the U.S. to finally achieve leadership in the region.

    PARTNERSHIP FIRST

    At the summit, President Obama told the other 33 American leaders that Washington wants to change its relationship with its neighbors by building "an equal partnership."

    "There is no senior partner and junior partner in our relations, there is simply engagement based upon mutual respect, common interests, and shared values," said the president in a 15-minute speech at the opening ceremony of the summit on Friday evening.

    Obama did not use the word "leadership," which Obama's predecessors had preferred to use in their speeches, claiming that the "new chapter of engagement" will be sustained throughout his administration.

    The softened stance was viewed as a manifestation of the diplomatic philosophy of pragmatism pursued by the Obama administration, whose top priority is to promote U.S. economic recovery.

    The administration has realized that the United States cannot confront severe transnational challenges by itself, and that the best way to reduce global threats and seize global opportunities is to sponsor and lead international cooperation.

    The challenges facing the United States and the other American countries, such as economic crisis, climate change, energy supplies, illegal immigration, drug trafficking and organized crimes, have made a hemispherical cooperative partnership possible and necessary.

    Therefore, "engagement" would be the first and maybe the best choice for the Obama administration in dealing with other countries, especially with those called "rouge states" by the Bush administration, such as Cuba, on which Washington has maintained embargo for nearly 50 years.

    ENGAGE TO CHANGE

    The U.S.-Cuban relationship has been one of the key issues in the U.S. policy toward Latin America for decades, and tensions between the two countries have obviously hindered Washington's efforts to strengthen its dominance in the region. Therefore, a sustainable and healthy U.S.-Latin American relationship depends much on a sound U.S.-Cuban relationship.

    At the summit, Obama vowed to engage the Cuban government on "a wide range of issues," and said "I am not interested in talking for the sake of talking. But I do believe that we can move U.S.-Cuban relations in a new direction."

    The president, ahead of his departure for the summit, also announced easing restrictions on travel and money transfers to Cuba, and opening green light to U.S. firms to explore the markets of telecommunications, satellite radio and TV services in the Caribbean country.

    Obama's recent goodwill gestures to Cuba were seen as a major policy shift from the Bush administration's hawkish approach and the first step in comprehensively developing cooperative partnership with Latin America.

    But it does not mean that Washington has compromised with Cuba on core issues. On the contrary, some analysts believe that engagement is a more effective measure to change Cuba, though longer time is needed.

    Carlos Pascual, a foreign policy expert from the Brookings Institution, an influential think tank headquartered in Washington D.C., said U.S. policy toward Cuba should focus on boosting the Cuban people's aspiration for "democracy" and strengthening U.S. credibility throughout the hemisphere.

    He suggested that the Obama administration "adopt a policy of critical and constructive engagement, phased-in unilaterally," adding that the policy's goal is "to support the emergence of a Cuban state where the Cuban people determine the political and economic future of their country through democratic means."

    LEADERSHIP FINALLY

    Ahead of his departure for the Americas summit, Obama wrote an article titled "A Summit for Change," which was published on Thursday by some newspapers in Trinidad and Tobago.

    "This summit offers the opportunity of a new beginning," Obama said in the article, adding that "advancing prosperity, security and liberty for the people of the Americas depends upon 21st century partnerships, freed from the posturing of the past."

    "Change", the word viewed as Obama's symbol during his presidential campaign, has been frequently used by the president in his addresses. And what has he changed in the past four months?

    In foreign policy, at least, some changes in Washington's attitude could be found.

    Recalling all the overseas visits in the past months by Obama and other top officials, "engage," "listen" and "consult" are the common rhythm. The modest attitude is in striking contrast with that of the previous administration.

    A softened attitude means to strengthen the United States' leadership through the so-called "smart power," a guideline for the U.S. foreign policy.

    According to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the U.S. foreign policy "must be based on a marriage of principles and pragmatism, not rigid ideology; on facts and evidence, not emotion or prejudice."

    "First, we must keep our people, our nation, and our allies secure; secondly, we must promote economic growth and shared prosperity at home and abroad; finally, we must strengthen America's position of global leadership," she said.

    Attitude can be changed, but national interests will be permanent.

    For the Obama administration and the following administrations, the U.S. national interests in the Latin America is to keep its dominance in the region, as summarized in the Monroe Doctrine: "America for the Americans."

    The Monroe Doctrine, viewed as the cornerstone of U.S. policy toward Latin America since the 1820s, transformed the United States from a regional power into the world's super power, while Latin America became the United States' backyard and base camp for keeping its dominance in the world.

    Latin America is believed to be the largest foreign supplier of oil to the United States and is a strong partner in the development of alternative fuels. It is also the U.S. fastest-growing trading partner and the largest source of immigrants. The relationship with Latin America is a basic and important part of the grand strategy of the United States.