Spotlight: Cubans firm on key issues ahead of Obama's visit

Cuba welcomes U.S. President Barack Obama's upcoming visit, but has no intention to change its policies or socialist system to pursue normal relations with the United States, a leading Cuban newspaper has said.

In an editorial published on Wednesday, state daily Granma urged Obama to take executive actions to put an end to the U.S. economic blockade imposed on Cuba since 1961.

Obama, who is slated to pay a historic visit to Cuba on March 21-22, has said the embargo should be lifted, but the move has been blocked by the Republican leadership in the U.S. Congress.

"The United States has disagreement with us and we also have disagreement with them, but we hope both governments can sort them out," Alfredo Aroche, a 55-year-old worker, told Xinhua.

Although diplomatic ties between Cuba and the United States have been restored and a series of cooperation agreements have been signed, key issues such as the economic blockade and the return of the territory occupied by the United States as a naval base in Guantanamo Bay remain to be settled.

The Cuban government has urged the United States to end its programs designed to destabilize Cuba and to stop supporting Cuban opposition groups.

Obama will be the first incumbent American president to visit Cuba since 1928, when Calvin Coolidge attended the Sixth Annual International Conference of American States in Havana.

Obama's visit comes 15 months after he and Cuban leader Raul Castro agreed to end more than five decades of Cold War animosity and normalize relations.

"I think it is a positive visit and a historic moment to take a step forward in our relations, politically and economically," said Damian Pineda, a Cuban high school teacher.

"It is a unique moment for Obama to get to know our people and value our history and achievements," Jesus Veloz, a college student, told Xinhua. Endi