Castro demands Guantanamo Bay in return for US-Cuba diplomatic deal

[webfact]

Raul Castro: US must return Guantanamo for normal relations
JAVIER CORDOBA, Associated Press
MICHAEL WEISSENSTEIN, Associated Press

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — Cuban President Raul Castro demanded on Wednesday that the United States return the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay, lift the half-century trade embargo on Cuba and compensate his country for damages before the two nations re-establish normal relations.

Castro told a summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States that Cuba and the U.S. are working toward full diplomatic relations but "if these problems aren't resolved, this diplomatic rapprochement wouldn't make any sense."

Castro and U.S. President Barack Obama announced on Dec. 17 that they would move toward renewing full diplomatic relations by reopening embassies in each other's countries. The two governments held negotiations in Havana last week to discuss both the reopening of embassies and the broader agenda of re-establishing normal relations.

Obama has loosened the trade embargo with a range of measures designed to increase economic ties with Cuba and increase the number of Cubans who don't depend on the communist state for their livelihoods.

The Obama administration says removing barriers to U.S. travel, remittances and exports to Cuba is a tactical change that supports the United States' unaltered goal of reforming Cuba's single-party political system and centrally planned economy.

Cuba has said it welcomes the measures but has no intention of changing its system. Without establishing specific conditions, Castro's government has increasingly linked the negotiations with the U.S. to a set of longstanding demands that include an end to U.S. support for Cuban dissidents and Cuba's removal from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism.

On Wednesday, Castro emphasized an even broader list of Cuban demands, saying that while diplomatic ties may be re-established, normal relations with the U.S. depend on a series of concessions that appear highly unlikely in the near future.

The U.S. established the military base in 1903, and the current Cuban government has been demanding the land's return since the 1959 revolution that brought it to power. Cuba also wants the U.S. to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in damages for losses caused by the embargo.

"The re-establishment of diplomatic relations is the start of a process of normalizing bilateral relations, but this will not be possible while the blockade still exists, while they don't give back the territory illegally occupied by the Guantanamo naval base," Castro said.

He demanded that the U.S. end the transmission of anti-Castro radio and television broadcasts and deliver "just compensation to our people for the human and economic damage that they're suffered."

The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Castro's remarks.

John Caulfield, who led the U.S. Interests Section in Havana until last year, said that the tone of Cuba's recent remarks didn't mean it would be harder than expected to reach a deal on short-term goals like reopening full embassies in Havana and Washington.

In fact, he said, the comments by Castro and high-ranking diplomats may indicate the pressure Cuba's government is feeling to strike a deal as Cubans' hopes for better living conditions rise in the wake of Obama's outreach.

"There is this huge expectation of change and this expectation has been set off by the president's announcement," Caulfield said. The Cuban government feels "the constant need to tell their people nothing's going to change ... the more the Cubans feel obligated to defend the status quo and to say that's nothing going to change, the more pressure it indicates to me is on them to make these changes, partly on the economic side but I would also say on the political side."
___

Associated Press writer Javier Cordoba reported this story in San Jose and Michael Weissenstein reported from Havana. AP writer Andrea Rodriguez in Havana contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-01-29

[Dannyboy666]

Nah, Don't think so...

[DoctorG]

Nah, Don't think so...

One would certainly hope not.

[johna]

return Guantanamo, its the right thing to do, I think the US hands over a check for approx $4000 every year in rent for Guantanamo, a check which Cuba has never cashed.

[Ulysses G.]

Nah, Don't think so...

One would certainly hope not.

With Obama in charge of negotiations, Castro might get what he is asking for, with little Havana in Miami thrown in.

[mlmcleod]

I think Castro is taking lessons from Putin and Pumpkin Head in North Korea! Demands, demands, demands! Who cares if their economy is a demonstrated basket case known all over the world! I sincerely doubt that they will get anything they are asking for.

[CajunCruiser]

return Guantanamo, its the right thing to do, I think the US hands over a check for approx $4000 every year in rent for Guantanamo, a check which Cuba has never cashed.

The only right thing to do to return Guantanamo would be after all the individual and corporate property owners are paid, with interest, for what Fidel nationalized (stole) after the revolution.

[umbanda]

Good!!!!!!

I said that before. If the US think that the Castros will negotiate with its head down, it is naive and unrealistic about Cuba situation.

Again...Cuba will welcome American tourists, tourism investments and imports.....nothing more.

The US Embassy is US soil, and its use that situation to place a very big and insulting permanent sign criticizing Cuba in human rights. I was surprised when I saw it in 2007.

In front of the US Embassy was a nice public court with a easy sight to that sign. Castro response was to build a public stage to hold concerts and political parties blocking the sign views some way.... Other countries will ask for the closing of the Embassy. The Cuban Government was polite and smart, and never complained for that, and all the "sabotage" that the US did in the last 50 years, now even using the Internet.

Now...in negotiations for the new relations in process, one of the US conditions and demands was for the Cuban Government to restore the open space in front of the Embassy. The sign still there for the last 40 years.

The USA ARROGANCE is sometimes a joke...if not a delusional idea of POWER.

Edited January 29, 2015 by umbanda

[IAMHERE]

Ironic, that base was taken from Spain: all the rest of Cuba was taken from Spain.

[Cats4ever]

return Guantanamo, its the right thing to do, I think the US hands over a check for approx $4000 every year in rent for Guantanamo, a check which Cuba has never cashed.

The only right thing to do to return Guantanamo would be after all the individual and corporate property owners are paid, with interest, for what Fidel nationalized (stole) after the revolution.

Including the Mafia?

[rickirs]

Looks like Raul got advice on "How to Succeed Without Losing" from ISIL and Thailand.

But he still fell short of a complete demand. He should have also asked for the State of Florida, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands. Frankly, the USA should just gift Cuba the State of Florida as a show of good faith. Florida's "Stand Your Ground" gun laws and "Little Havana" alone will topple the Cuban government in a month.

[Jingthing]

Ain't gonna happen.

Not a bad tactic as a negotiation chip for Cuba but they won't get that and they shouldn't get that.

That is U.S. land by treaty ... tough cookies Castro.

On the other hand, it could happen later with a very long term agreement (like Hong Kong) with conditions set and met .. like 50 years from now.

Edited January 29, 2015 by Jingthing

[Tywais]

The US Embassy is US soil,

A rather common error. The Embassy is not US territory or on US soil as you state but remains the territory of the host country.

[NeverSure]

Looks like Raul got advice on "How to Succeed Without Losing" from ISIL and Thailand.

But he still fell short of a complete demand. He should have also asked for the State of Florida, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands. Frankly, the USA should just gift Cuba the State of Florida as a show of good faith. Florida's "Stand Your Ground" gun laws and "Little Havana" alone will topple the Cuban government in a month.

Don't expect the wimps to understand "stand your ground gun laws." They have "run to a hole in the ground and hide" laws.

[Somtamnication]

Agreed with Castro. Hawaii needs to go back to its natives, Puerto Rico should be fully independent, Guam needs to return to the natives and Alaska should go back to the Inuits. If they still run the US Virgin Islands, it should go back to, well, the virgins!

Talk about a geographically fragmented country!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jingthing]

Agreed with Castro. Hawaii needs to go back to its natives, Puerto Rico should be fully independent, Guam needs to return to the natives and Alaska should go back to the Inuits. If they still run the US Virgin Islands, it should go back to, well, the virgins!

Talk about a geographically fragmented country!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Puerto Rico should be a U.S. state actually! But 51 is not an elegant number compared to 50.

Edited January 29, 2015 by Jingthing

[MrTee]

Guantanamo has sitting tenants - does Cuba get them too?

[nobleman]

I can not believe how many people are jealous of the US. You are jealous like Thais. Wow. You complain complain complain

[NeverSure]

Agreed with Castro. Hawaii needs to go back to its natives, Puerto Rico should be fully independent, Guam needs to return to the natives and Alaska should go back to the Inuits. If they still run the US Virgin Islands, it should go back to, well, the virgins!

Talk about a geographically fragmented country!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alaska and Hawaii asked to be states. It took some doing with Congress and the American people to get it done.

Guam and Puerto Rico want the association with the US.

As for Cuba, that lease of the land and port is 100 years old. It is also a US naval base. Cuba has its own defense right there not only at no cost, but it gets paid for it. It also brings secondary money to Cuba which is robbed from the people by the elite.

[Ulysses G.]

Access appropriate media, at least before revealing your astounding ignorance.

People in glass houses...

[Jingthing]

People in glass houses...

Let me guess. Russia Today. Press TV. Appropriately controlled.

Edited January 29, 2015 by Jingthing

[Donnie Brasco]

Access appropriate media, at least before revealing your astounding ignorance.

People in glass houses...

By "appropriate media" I specifically avoid the oppressor's propaganda.

People in glass houses usually have great views, good vantage points and excellent perspective lots of light to see what's really going on.

Those living in the past, relying on the ignorance of others and kneeling before the go nailed boot are somewhat handicapped.

[Ulysses G.]

People in glass houses usually have great views, good vantage points and excellent perspective lots of light to see what's really going on.

You interpretation of the idiom "People in glass houses, shouldn't throw stones" is very interesting. It is also entirely incorrect.

[wwest5829]

return Guantanamo, its the right thing to do, I think the US hands over a check for approx $4000 every year in rent for Guantanamo, a check which Cuba has never cashed.

The only right thing to do to return Guantanamo would be after all the individual and corporate property owners are paid, with interest, for what Fidel nationalized (stole) after the revolution.

i do believe there will be years of negotiations on these new Cuban demands and the U.S. corportation counter claims.

[wwest5829]

return Guantanamo, its the right thing to do, I think the US hands over a check for approx $4000 every year in rent for Guantanamo, a check which Cuba has never cashed.

Sure. Maybe we should also give Manhattan back to the Indians, California back to Mexico, and Alaska back to Russia.

Whoa! I understand your point but you are really pushing the envelope, Manhattan is part of the U.S. land mass. Russia was sold to the U.S. by the Russiana government and so was a legitimate purchase. Cuban territory issue is more akin to Macao, Hong Kong...yes and some others...Gibratar, Faulklins, and Panama Canal come to mind. As to the entire U.S. Southwest (much more than just California), we need not worry as the hispanic population was already there, remains and is gaining increased control of that territory though natural population and economic trade growth.

[umbanda]

The US Embassy is US soil,

A rather common error. The Embassy is not US territory or on US soil as you state but remains the territory of the host country.

Wrongggggg....Any foreign embassy soil in foreign countries is considered soil of the Embassy country...You go trough the doors of any foreign embassy in Thailand or anywhere in the world...and you are under that country rules and protection....Thanks God!!... I know by personal experience... ... I mentioned that I am from South America?.....and a proudly Socialist?

Live to Learn...Learn to Live.

Edited January 29, 2015 by umbanda

[Tywais]

The US Embassy is US soil,

A rather common error. The Embassy is not US territory or on US soil as you state but remains the territory of the host country.

Wrongggggg....Any foreign embassy soil in foreign countries is considered soil of the Embassy country...You go trough the doors of any foreign embassy in Thailand...and you are under that country rules and protection....and I know by personal experience. Live to Learn...Learn to Live.

You are still wrong. Even the US State department says it. Many other sites that also state what I did. But keep on believing what you see in the movies. So educate yourself before continuing with believing myths.

Contrary to popular belief, diplomatic missions do not enjoy full extraterritorial status and are not sovereign territory of the represented state.^[12][13] Rather, the premises of diplomatic missions remain under the jurisdiction of the host state while being afforded special privileges (such as immunity from most local laws) by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Diplomats themselves still retain full diplomatic immunity, and (as an adherent to the Vienna Convention) the host country may not enter the premises of the mission without permission of the represented country. The term "extraterritoriality" is often applied to diplomatic missions, but only in this broader sense.

Source

[metisdead]

Some off topic and trolling nonsense posts and replies have been removed.

[Donnie Brasco]

People in glass houses...

Let me guess. Russia Today. Press TV. Appropriately controlled.

No

In your VERY WEAKly formulated "reductio ad absurdem" you are not entitled to "guess" .

My reading research and as a consequence, my FREE THINKING on these matters goes WAY BEYOND these media.

But you guys routinely quote from sources that you have already trashed for disagreeing with you.

In our movie, Ulysses G, I am Winston Smith. Bet when you first read THAT ONE you thought they were talking about your pet bad guys.

History doesn't really repeat itself.

It rhymes.

Edited January 29, 2015 by Donnie Brasco

[umbanda]

The US Embassy is US soil,

A rather common error. The Embassy is not US territory or on US soil as you state but remains the territory of the host country.

Wrongggggg....Any foreign embassy soil in foreign countries is considered soil of the Embassy country...You go trough the doors of any foreign embassy in Thailand...and you are under that country rules and protection....and I know by personal experience. Live to Learn...Learn to Live.

You are still wrong. Even the US State department says it. Many other sites that also state what I did. But keep on believing what you see in the movies. So educate yourself before continuing with believing myths.

Contrary to popular belief, diplomatic missions do not enjoy full extraterritorial status and are not sovereign territory of the represented state.^[12][13] Rather, the premises of diplomatic missions remain under the jurisdiction of the host state while being afforded special privileges (such as immunity from most local laws) by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Diplomats themselves still retain full diplomatic immunity, and (as an adherent to the Vienna Convention) the host country may not enter the premises of the mission without permission of the represented country. The term "extraterritoriality" is often applied to diplomatic missions, but only in this broader sense.

Source

You may be right...and you say it. The host country authorities can only enter the premises with authorization....that's it is very close to what happens in any border entry..or not?. Anyway..that rules saves the life of many people and still doing it.