However, Edward Alex Lee of the US State Department, who's been on an official visit to Cuba, stressed that any concessions must go hand-in-hand with more political freedom on the Caribbean island.
He said the two countries had held "very constructive" talks on migration and other issues this week.
But he declined to give any details of what he called "substantial progress".
Mr Lee, who has been on an official visit to Cuba, added the two nations would seek to continue these rare negotiations.
"Despite our historically difficult relationship...we have been able to speak to each other in a respectful and thoughtful manner," he told a news conference in Havana.
But he added that the US wanted a "fundamental change" in the Cuban government's attitude towards its own people.
"We want to have that opening reflect - from the Cuban side - a respect for Cubans to express themselves freely, to be able to petition their government with grievances without the danger of arrest."
The BBC reports talks between the two historic enemies were suspended in 2011 but resumed last July.
The main focus of the latest talks was migration: discouraging Cubans from risking their lives at sea to reach the US, by ensuring that there were safe and legal alternatives.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/233108/us-%27open%27-to-new-relations-with-cuba
11/1/14
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Related:
L'embargo américain contre Cuba condamné l'assemblée générale de l'ONU./In United Nations vote, 188 countries condemn U.S. embargo of Cuba. (video YT)
Russia calls on US to heed opinion of international community, lift blockade of Cuba. -U.N. urges end of U.S. embargo on Cuba (video)
ΟΗΕ: Όχι εμπάργκο στην Κούβα. -ΗΠΑ και Ισραήλ καταψήφισαν. -Το εμπάργκο έγινε ακόμη πιο αυστηρό επί προεδρίας Μπαράκ Ομπάμα
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CUBA: State Department confirms US-Cuba migration talks....
ReplyDeleteA U.S. State Department delegation will hold migration talks with Cuban foreign-ministry officials Thursday in Havana, a department spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday.
Headed by Edward Alex Lee, acting deputy assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, the delegation arrived in Havana on Tuesday and will meet with its Cuban counterpart on Thursday.
The talks are designed to discuss the implementation of bilateral migration accords reached in 1994 and 1995, following a Cuban government decision to allow more than 30,000 people to leave the island in flimsy rafts in 1994.
The accords require the two governments to work toward “safe, legal and orderly” migration. They also require Washington to issue at least 20,000 migrant visas to Cubans each year, as well as bilateral meetings that usually have been held twice a year.
The Bush administration suspended the talks in 2003, alleging they were making no headway on issues of U.S. interest. The Obama administration resumed them in July 2009 and they were held twice in 2010, in January 2011, and in July 2013.
The 2 ½-year gap between the 2011 and 2013 meetings was not a suspension and was unrelated to Cuba’s March 2011 conviction of U.S. government subcontractor Alan Gross, according to the U.S. government.
Gross is serving a 15-year sentence in Havana for delivering communications equipment to Cuban Jews. The island’s government regards the devices as part of a Washington campaign to topple the communist system.
Obama administration officials have said the talks do not represent a change in U.S. policy toward Cuba and are consistent with Washington’s efforts to ensure safe migration between the two nations.
Nearly 25,000 Cuban migrants received U.S. visas in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, compared to 26,720 in fiscal year 2012, according to U.S. government figures. Nearly 30,000 others received visitor visas during the same period, compared to 14,362 in fiscal year 2012.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/01/08/3859299/state-department-confirms-us-cuba.html#storylink=cpy
8/1/14
Cuba suspends US consular services as bank pulls out...
ReplyDeleteThe Cuban government says it has suspended consular services in the United States after an American bank decided to withdraw its facilities.
Cuba says it will not be able to renew passports and process visas unless it finds an alternative to the M&T bank.
The bank said its decision was taken for business reasons.
The move is likely to prevent tens of thousands of people travelling from the US to Cuba every month and could have a big impact on the economy there.
The US broke off diplomatic relations with the communist-run island in 1961 and imposed an economic embargo a year later...........http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-26198379
15/2/14
CUBA: Cuban Interest Section / Banking Services. -Marie Harf, Deputy Spokesperson, Daily Press Briefing.....
DeleteQUESTION: Just quickly on Cuba, apparently the office of the Cuban Interests Section here in Washington has been closed or will be closing shortly for a while because it can’t get banking services.
MS. HARF: Yes.
QUESTION: Do you know why that is?
MS. HARF: I do, yes, and I have a little bit of information on that. I think they will lose their ability to place deposits with their current bank on February 17th, and will see all services discontinued on March 1st. They announced, I think themselves, in early December that this would happen.
Since last summer, the State Department has been actively working with the Cuban Interests Section to identify a new bank to provide services to the Cuban missions. We have reached out to more than 50 banks and understand that several may be currently exploring whether to provide the mission with banking services. We don’t know, at this point, whether they will have a new bank by the first of March. But we will continue to work with the Cuban mission as they seek to identify a long-term solution.
We do this will all missions in the United States, right? We seek to help foreign missions that are otherwise unable to obtain banking services, because we think, obviously, it’s a good thing to help people who want to be represented here in the States.
QUESTION: So I’m a little new to this issue, but as I understand it --
MS. HARF: As am I.
QUESTION: -- it’s M&T Bank that had been representing the section.
MS. HARF: I don’t – to be fair, I don’t have the name of the bank on this piece of paper.
QUESTION: Do you have any idea why they are no longer offering services to --
MS. HARF: I don’t. I’m happy to check with our folks. Obviously, I’d refer you to them.
QUESTION: Can you take it?
MS. HARF: I’m – I can take it and check with them.
QUESTION: Yeah. Please.
MS. HARF: I don’t know. Again, we’ve been working with them since last summer to try and identify a new bank, and we’ve talked to over 50 banks. So we’ll see if we can get a little more.
QUESTION: So any of those 50 banks – why are they saying they are not going to provide those services?
MS. HARF: I honestly don’t know. I can check with our folks and see if there’s more. We think a couple may be considering it, and we just don’t know if we’ll be able to get a new bank by March 1st.
QUESTION: Okay. Thank you......http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2014/02/221666.htm#CUBA
14/2/14