Normalizing Cuba-U.S. ties requires time: Cuban diplomat

Normalizing Cuba-U.S. relations still requires time despite the rapprochement between the two countries, a Cuban diplomat said Friday.

"We have taken the road toward the normalization of relations but there should be no illusions," Josefina Vidal, director of U.S. affairs at the Cuban foreign ministry, said, adding that it will take time for both sides to improve bilateral ties and solve problems identified by the governments of the two countries.

Addressing an international forum, Vidal said normalizing bilateral ties would be difficult as long as the United States continues to impose the half-century economic and trade embargo on Cuba and delays the return of the territory occupied by the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo.

Vidal said that the dispute with Washington is complex, which dates from before the island's socialist revolution.

The diplomat said that those policies, in her opinion, have not changed but now serve a different strategy.

However, Vidal said that Washington has taken positive steps in improving its ties with Havana, such as removing Cuba from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism and lifting certain restrictions.

Both nations have also signed technical agreements that help establish contacts between the two sides, know each other better and identify mutual interests on different issues.

In about a year, the two countries have also furthered cooperation on environmental protection, civil aviation, direct mail, port and maritime security, health, agriculture, educational and cultural exchanges, and regulatory issues.

Cuba and the United States restored diplomatic relations on July 20, 2015, after 54 years of political enmity. Endit