New Era, New Relationship Between People of United States and Cuba
The reestablishment of United States-Cuba diplomatic relations was announced by Barack Obama. Now, as part of enhancing the diplomatic relations, both countries will resume embassy operations.
In his remarks in Washington DC, US Secretary of State John Kerry said the US government has reached an agreement to formally re-establish diplomatic relations with the Republic of Cuba and that both nations will reopen embassies in their respective countries.
Secretary Kerry will travel to Cuba to personally take part in the formal reopening of the US Embassy in Havana. It has been 54 years since the embassy closed.
Breaking The Ice of The COLD WAR
The visit by Secretary Kerry to Cuba for the opening of US embassy will also be the first visit by a Secretary of State to Cuba since 1945.
“The reopening of our embassy, I will tell you, is an important step on the road to restoring fully normal relations between the United States and Cuba.” – Secretary Kerry
According to Secretary Kerry, coming a quarter of a century after the end of the Cold War, the resumption of embassy operations recognizes the reality of the changed circumstances, and it will serve to meet a number of practical needs for both nations.
Time For Change
According to Secretary Kerry, amid the prevailing differences between two nations, President Barack Obama and President Castro felt it was time for a change. Both leaders agree that concentrating on the issues and possibilities of the future is far more productive than remaining mired in the past.
Both nations have realized that amid the differences, both can work on other cooperation that includes law enforcement, safe transportation, emergency response, environmental protection, telecommunications, and migration.
The reopening of the embassies for both countries will benefit Americans and Cubans as well when it comes to boosting friendship between the two nations.
The opening of the embassy will help Americans engage the Cuban Government more often and at a higher level, and it will also allow our diplomats to interact more frequently, and frankly more broadly and effectively, with the Cuban people.
In addition, the US embassy in Cuba can assist Americans who travel to the island nation in order to visit family members or for other purposes.
New Era, New Relationship With The People of Cuba
According to Secretary Kerry, the transition is taking place because President Obama made a personal, fundamental decision to change a policy that didn’t work and that had been in place not working for far too long.
“This step has been long overdue, and the response of the international community has reflected the relief and the welcoming that people all over the world feel for this step.” – Secretary Kerry
The US government believes that the resumption of embassy operations will advance the President’s vision of an Americas where responsibilities are widely shared and where countries combine their strengths to advance common interests and values.
The US also believes that this opening will help to change relationships in the region as a whole.
The Secretary of State highlighted that he looks forward to taking part in the reopening of our United States embassy and in the raising of the Stars and Stripes over that embassy, and the beginning of a new era of a new relationship with the people of Cuba.
US-Cuba Relations
Relations between the US and Cuba have long been strained and making headlines around the world. Since 1960, the US has maintained an economic embargo against Cuba.
The U.S. embargo was reinforced in October 1992 by the Cuban Democracy Act prohibiting foreign-based subsidiaries of U.S. companies from trading with Cuba, travel to Cuba by U.S. citizens, and family remittances to Cuba.
