Cuban President Confirms Dialogue With US

HAVANA, March 14 (Bernama-Prensa Latina) --  Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel confirmed on Friday that officials from Cuba and the United States have begun an initial phase of dialogue aimed at addressing bilateral differences.

In response to a question from Cuba’s news agency, Prensa Latina, the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba also stressed that there has been much speculation about this process and that it has been a practice of the Revolution not to respond to these campaigns.

He clarified that this is a very sensitive process, which is being carried out with the discretion and responsibility that it requires at each moment, because it concerns the relations between Cuba and the United States.

The Cuban leader emphasised that these exchanges require a tenacious effort to advance solutions, which is why it is necessary to find common ground that allows progress in the process and “moves away from confrontation.”

He explained that the recent talks are taking place in accordance with the consistent policy that has always characterised the Revolution, under the leadership of Army General Raúl Castro as its historical leader, and have been held in conjunction with the main authorities of the Cuban Party, Government and State.

He noted that these exchanges have been facilitated by international actors, which, he clarified, is not the first time this has happened, and recalled the dialogue process led by then-President Raúl Castro with his US counterpart Barack Obama, which led to the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Díaz-Canel said the talks aim to define the bilateral problems and ways to solve them, as well as determine whether there is willingness on both sides to take actions for the benefit of both nations.

He elaborated that this involves finding areas of cooperation through which threats can be addressed and security and peace guaranteed for both countries and the region.

“In these exchanges we have expressed our willingness to continue the process under the principles of equality and respect for the political systems of both countries, sovereignty and self-determination, also taking into account the criterion of reciprocity in accordance with international law,” he said.

-- BERNAMA-PRENSA LATINA