Roundup: Cuba-U.S. talks make "palpable" progress, hurdles remain

Cuba-U.S. talks on restoring diplomatic ties after half a century of animosity have made "palpable" progress, but key hurdles remain, state daily Granma reported Tuesday.

The daily published a transcript of a press briefing offered by Cuba's lead negotiator, Josefina Vidal, following the latest round of talks on May 21-22 in Washington.

Vidal, the Cuban Foreign Affairs Ministry's general director for U.S. affairs, said "the advances have been palpable," as two of Cuba's main concerns have been addressed: removing Cuba from Washington's list of alleged state sponsors of terrorism, and facilitating banking services for Cuba's diplomats in the United States.

"Today, we can say that these two issues have been resolved, or are close to resolution," she said. "Beginning this week, our interests office in Washington has banking services and, at the end of this week, the removal of Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism will finally take place."

The next hurdle, said Vidal, would be getting the United States to abide by Vienna Convention rules on "the conduct of diplomats" and "the functioning of a diplomatic mission," as the two nations seek to open embassies in their respective capitals.

She cited the persistence of "a certain amount of aggressive, anti-Cuba rhetoric" as a stumbling block to normalizing ties.

While U.S. President Barack Obama recently said Washington's foreign policy was not aimed at a regime change in Cuba, government actions indicate otherwise, said Vidal.

"Real life tells us that they are still requesting multi-million-dollar funding to sustain these types of programs which Cuba considers illegal, since they are programs directed toward provoking change within our country," she said.

"We are truly expecting that this will be addressed, as part of this process, and that we might see a better match between what is said and what is done. It will be very important for us to ascertain that we are truly seeing a change in U.S. policy toward Cuba," she added.

Interaction between the two countries has vastly improved, said Vidal, adding that "differences are deep, but we are talking and we have learned to talk about the differences with respect, which was something lacking for over 50 years."

There are still numerous day-to-day matters to discuss, including legal accords and mechanisms that need to be in place as the two countries begin to see greater movement of people between them, said Vidal.

Asked how talks on normalizing relations will take place once diplomatic ties have been reestablished, Vidal said Cuba has drawn up a list of priority issues to be discussed, starting with lifting the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba, removing the illegal Guantanamo Naval Base, ending illegal broadcasts by U.S.-run propaganda machines Radio and Television Marti, and "compensation for our country and our people for the damages caused by U.S. policy over 50 years."

The United States has also announced its interest in discussing compensation for properties nationalized in Cuba at the beginning of the revolution, said Vidal.

Before bilateral talks in May, the two nations have held three rounds of talks, the first on Jan. 22 in Havana and the second on Feb. 27 in Washington. The third meeting was held in Havana on March 16 as a follow-up to the initial rounds. In December, Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced the launch of the process to normalize the ties between the two countries.

Vidal said no subsequent round had been scheduled as yet, but the two sides were in constant communication via their respective interests sections, and could decide to resolve pending issues through those channels. Endi