Castro sees Cuba, US breaking with past, coexisting in peace
Cuba is prepared to break with the contentious past and peacefully coexist with the United States, Cuban President Raul Castro said on July 15 as the two former adversaries are set to restore diplomatic ties.
"We are talking about forging a new kind of relationship between both states, different from our entire common history," Castro, 84, told the Cuban National Assembly, according to official media.
Cuba and the United States will re-establish diplomatic relations on July 20 after a 54-year break and reopen embassies in each other's capitals.
The United States and Cuba began secret negotiations on restoring ties in mid-2013, leading to the historic announcement on December 17, 2014, when Castro and US President Barack Obama said they had swapped prisoners and would seek to normalize relations.
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With diplomatic ties restored, the two countries separated by 90 miles (145 km) of sea will now begin the more difficult and lengthy task of normalizing overall relations.
"The revolutionary government is willing to advance toward the normalization of relations, convinced that both countries can cooperate and coexist in a civilized, mutually beneficial way, while contributing to peace, security, stability and development," Castro said.
Castro said completely normal relations with the United States would be impossible as long as Washington maintains its economic embargo against the island.
"We hope that (Obama) continues to use his executive authority to dismantle this policy," Castro said.
Obama, a Democrat, has eased parts of the US embargo but would need the Republican-controlled Congress to lift it completely.