The talks aim to restore diplomatic ties and eventually normalise relations between the two, which have been locked in Cold War-era hostilities.
The
highest-level United States delegation to Cuba in 35 years begins talks
on Wednesday aimed at restoring diplomatic ties and eventually
normalising relations between two adversaries who have been locked in
Cold War-era hostilities.
The two days of meetings are the first since US President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro announced on December 17 they had reached a historic breakthrough after 18 months of secret negotiations.
Obama
has set the US on a path toward removing economic sanctions and
Washington’s 53-year-old trade embargo against the communist-ruled
island, telling Congress in his annual State of the Union address on
Tuesday that “we are ending a policy that was long past its expiration
date”.
Talks will focus on immigration on Wednesday and turn to restoring diplomatic ties on Thursday.
Both sides are also expected to outline longer-term goals. While Cuba will seek the repeal of Washington’s economic embargo and ask to be removed from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, the Americans will press the one-party state for greater human rights.
Not ‘normalising relations’ yetOn immigration, Cuba has said it will protest US laws that welcome Cubans into the US once they set foot on American soil, an exceptional policy that Cuba says promotes people-trafficking and dangerous journeys across the Florida Straits on flimsy vessels.
Obama has the executive authority to restore diplomatic ties but needs the Republican-controlled Congress to lift the economic embargo.
A senior Cuban foreign ministry official on Tuesday drew a distinction between restoring diplomatic ties and the broader issue of normalising relations.
“Cuba isn’t normalising relations with the United States. Cuba is re-establishing diplomatic relations with the United States. The normalisation of relations is a much longer process and much more complicated process,” the official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The official said normal relations would require the US to lift the embargo, remove Cuba from terrorism lists and stop recruiting Cuban doctors to defect.
The US delegation will be led by Roberta Jacobson, the top US diplomat for Latin America and the first US assistant secretary of state to visit Cuba in 38 years. A US official of similar rank visited Cuba 35 years ago.
The Cuban team will be led by Josefina Vidal, the foreign ministry’s chief diplomat for US affairs. – Reuters
The two days of meetings are the first since US President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro announced on December 17 they had reached a historic breakthrough after 18 months of secret negotiations.
Talks will focus on immigration on Wednesday and turn to restoring diplomatic ties on Thursday.
Both sides are also expected to outline longer-term goals. While Cuba will seek the repeal of Washington’s economic embargo and ask to be removed from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, the Americans will press the one-party state for greater human rights.
Not ‘normalising relations’ yetOn immigration, Cuba has said it will protest US laws that welcome Cubans into the US once they set foot on American soil, an exceptional policy that Cuba says promotes people-trafficking and dangerous journeys across the Florida Straits on flimsy vessels.
Obama has the executive authority to restore diplomatic ties but needs the Republican-controlled Congress to lift the economic embargo.
A senior Cuban foreign ministry official on Tuesday drew a distinction between restoring diplomatic ties and the broader issue of normalising relations.
“Cuba isn’t normalising relations with the United States. Cuba is re-establishing diplomatic relations with the United States. The normalisation of relations is a much longer process and much more complicated process,” the official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The official said normal relations would require the US to lift the embargo, remove Cuba from terrorism lists and stop recruiting Cuban doctors to defect.
The US delegation will be led by Roberta Jacobson, the top US diplomat for Latin America and the first US assistant secretary of state to visit Cuba in 38 years. A US official of similar rank visited Cuba 35 years ago.
The Cuban team will be led by Josefina Vidal, the foreign ministry’s chief diplomat for US affairs. – Reuters
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