MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

De facto exit for embargo: Castro and Obama agree to discuss “any issue”

President Raul Castro: “Respect for self-determination and open agenda”

Cuban President Raul Castro said from Venezuela that his government is willing to discuss any issue with Washington, as along as it's a conversation between equals and Washington respects “the Cuban people's right to self-determination”.

“We have sent word to the US government in private and in public that we are willing to discuss everything, human rights, freedom of the press, political prisoners, everything” Castro told leaders at a summit in Venezuela hosted by President Hugo Chavez.

Castro statements on Thursday come on the eve of the Summit of the Americas in Port Spain, where the Cuban issue, although not in the agenda promises to attract most attention.

Earlier this week, Obama lifted restrictions on visits and money sent to Cuba by Americans with families there — steps he called “extraordinarily significant” for those families, and a show of good faith by the U.S. government that it wants to recast the relationship.

But he reiterated that the US won't unilaterally end its trade embargo against Cuba, even though the policy is widely seen as a failure that has complicated US relations throughout Latinamerica and the Caribbean.

Obama said a relationship frozen for 50 years “won't thaw overnight,” and that Cuba can show it wants to move forward by lifting its own restrictions on Cubans' ability to travel and to voice their opinions.

At a news conference after meeting with Mexican President Felipe Calderon, who called the US embargo a failed strategy, Obama said Cuba needs to reciprocate to his overtures with actions “grounded in respect for human rights”.

Asked what the US should do on Cuba to improve its image across Latinamerica, Calderon said “we do not believe that the embargo or the isolation of Cuba is a good measure for things to change.”

Raul Castro, who took over the presidency from his older brother Fidel last year, did not mention Obama's comments specifically and stopped short of promising any action.

“We're willing to sit down to talk as it should be done, whenever,” said Castro, who also condemned decades of efforts by Washington to undermine the Cuban government. ”What's going on is that now ... whoever says anything, they immediately start (talking about) democracy, freedom, prisoners.“

Castro called for the release of five Cubans imprisoned in the U.S. after being convicted of espionage, and denounced U.S. funding for opponents of his government.

”I'm confirming it here today: If they want the freedom of those political prisoners, who include some confessed terrorists, Guatemalans and Salvadorans who were tried and sentenced ... free our prisoners and we'll send them to you with their families and whatever they want — those so-called dissidents and patriots.“

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez hosted Castro and other close allies for talks to show a united front in their first encounter with Obama on Friday at the Summit of the Americas.

Before Obama spoke, a similar message was sent by US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton who was on an official visit to Haiti.

”We stand ready to discuss with Cuba additional steps that could be taken,“ she said. ”But we do expect Cuba to reciprocate.“

”We would like to see Cuba open up its society, release political prisoners, open up to outside opinions and media, have the kind of society that we all know that would improve the opportunities for the Cuban people and for their nation,” she said.

Leaders of 34 nations are making their way to Trinidad and Tobago for the summit, a gathering of democracies in the framework of the Organization of American States that expelled Cuba in the sixties. Raul and Fidel Castro have reiterated Cuba is not interested in returning to OAS.