Cuba Puts Onus on US for Better Ties
By VOA News
29 April 2009
Cuban President Raul Castro says his country does not need to make any "gestures" as it pursues better relations with the United States.
The Cuban leader said Wednesday he is still willing to talk about all issues and that it was up to the U.S. to make the next move. He also complained about the long-standing U.S. embargo of the island nation.
Earlier this month, U.S. President Barack Obama eased restrictions on travel and money transfers by Cuban-Americans to family to Cuba, but left the embargo in place. He has said it is up to Cuba to take the next step.
A senior U.S. diplomat met with a Cuban official in Washington for the second time in as many weeks Monday for exploratory talks on improving the historically chilly U.S.-Cuban relationship.
State Department spokesman Robert Wood downplayed the significance of the meeting, saying the U.S. and Cuba have had discussions in the past when events warranted them. But another official told VOA he was only aware of one such meeting during the last year of the recent Bush administration.
A spokesman at the Cuban Interests Section in Washington declined to comment on Monday's meeting.
The State Department says the Obama administration would like to see the communist government in Havana reciprocate the U.S. opening with steps to ease political restrictions in Cuba.
The United States and Cuba do not have formal diplomatic relations. They have interests sections that are technically part of the Swiss embassies in each other's capitals.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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