Cuban Leader Ready to Talk with US
By VOA News
07 April 2009
Cuban President Raul Castro said he is ready to talk with the United States "on any matter," as long as Washington acknowledges Cuba's sovereignty and right to self-determination.
Mr. Castro signaled his willingness to talk with the Obama administration in a statement published Tuesday in Cuba's official Communist Party newspaper, Granma.
Granma also said Mr. Castro's meeting with visiting U.S. lawmakers Monday focused on the development of bilateral relations and economic ties. It was his first such meeting since taking office last year. The delegation of U.S. House Democrats was led by California Representative Barbara Lee.
White House officials say President Barack Obama will soon move to ease some travel and financial restrictions against Cuba, perhaps before next week's Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago.
President Obama has said he would be willing to speak with Cuba's leaders, but would maintain a long-standing economic embargo as leverage to push for democratic change on the island.
The U.S. federal budget that was signed into law last month contains provisions lifting some restrictions on family travel by Cuban-Americans to Cuba. The bill also eases rules for exports of food and medicine to Cuba.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
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