MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

De-freezing of relations with Cuba.

For the first time in fourteen years an Argentine Foreign Affairs minister visited Cuba for 48 hours to re-establish full diplomatic relations and as a clear sign of “political willingness from both governments to give a greater thrust to the bilateral relationship”.

Mr. Rafael Bielsa travelled with Argentina's new Ambassador Raul Taeb who will be presenting his credentials to Fidel Castro in the coming hours.

Cuban-Argentine relations were virtually frozen since February 2001 when Mr. Castro called the then Argentine administration of President Fernando De la Rúa, "yanki boot lickers" for having supported a United Nations human rights abuse condemnation of the Cuban regime.

However the situation begun to improve last April when former president Eduardo Duhalde, contrary to Mr. De la Rúa and Mr. Menem, decided to abstain in a vote on human rights involving Cuba. A month later Fidel Castro visited Buenos Aires to participate in the taking office ceremonies of elected president Nestor Kirchner, where he was "warmly received" by the Argentine people and government, according to the official Cuban newspaper Granma.

The Argentine government said the good will visit expresses the "wish to normalize relations and relaunch economic, trade and cultural relations with Cuba.

Mr. Bielsa is also expected to begin negotiations for the recovery of 2 billion US dollars in credits extended to Cuba in the early seventies. A system of bonds for Argentine investors is one among several options to be considered according to reports from the Argentine delegation, although the Cuban government is in no position to make repayments.

This is a "new moment" for a "respectful relation", stressed Mr. Bielsa. Mr. Castro and President Kirchner have coincided in populist rhetoric, but not necessarily in actions.

However it is expected that Mr. Castro will extend an invitation for the Argentine president to visit the island.

Mr. Kirchner's gesture towards Cuba, as just a few weeks ago Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's visit to the island, come at a crucial moment for Mr. Castro. The Bush administration has just announced the strengthening of the trade embargo and ban on American citizens visits to Cuba to ensure that "Cuban citizens recover their freedom", and the European Union has virtually cut off aid following insulting reactions from Mr. Castro regarding European condemnation of human rights abuses.