US, Cuba to announce plan to open embassies

[webfact]

AP source: US, Cuba to announce plan to open embassies
JULIE PACE, AP White House Correspondent

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama will announce Wednesday that the U.S. and Cuba have finalized an agreement to reopen embassies in each other's capitals, a major step in ending hostilities between the Cold War foes, a senior administration official said.

The U.S. and Cuba have been negotiating the reestablishment of embassies following the historic December announcement that they would move to restore ties after a half-century of animosity. The U.S. embassy in Havana is expected to open in July.

For Obama, ending the U.S. freeze with Cuba is central to his foreign policy legacy as he nears the end of his presidency. Obama has long touted the value of direct engagement with global foes and has argued that the U.S. embargo on the communist island just 90 miles south of Florida was ineffective.

The official insisted on anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter ahead of the president.

The White House said Obama will deliver a statement on Cuba from the Rose Garden on Wednesday morning. Secretary of State John Kerry, who is in Vienna for nuclear negotiations with Iran, is also expected to speak about the embassy openings.

Kerry has said previously that he would travel to Cuba for an embassy opening.

Cuba's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday evening that it would meet with U.S. Interests Section chief Jeffrey DeLaurentis on Wednesday morning to receive a message from President Obama about reopening embassies.

The U.S. cut off diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1961 after Fidel Castro's revolution. The U.S. spent decades trying to either actively overthrow the Cuban government or isolate the island, including toughening the economic embargo first imposed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Since the late 1970s, the United States and Cuba have operated diplomatic missions called interests sections in each other's capitals. The missions are technically under the protection of Switzerland, and do not enjoy the same status as full embassies.

While the opening of embassies marks a major milestone in the thaw between the U.S. and Cuba, significant issues remain as the countries look to normalize relations. Among them: talks on human rights; demands for compensation for confiscated American properties in Havana and damages to Cuba from the embargo; and possible cooperation on law enforcement, including the touchy topic of U.S. fugitives sheltering in Havana.

Obama also wants Congress to repeal the economic embargo on Cuba, though he faces resistance from Republicans and some Democrats. Those opposed to normalizing relations with Cuba say Obama is prematurely rewarding a regime that engages in serious human rights abuses.

The president also will face strong opposition in Congress to spending any taxpayer dollars on building or refurbishing an embassy in Havana. Congress would have to approve any administration request to spend money on an embassy.

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., said in a statement that opening a U.S. embassy in Cuba "will do nothing to help the Cuban people and is just another trivial attempt for President Obama to go legacy shopping."

Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the opening of embassies was part of the administration's "common sense approach to Cuba." However, he called for Cuba to recognize that it is out of step with the international community on human rights.

"Arrests and detentions of dissidents must cease and genuine political pluralism is long overdue," Cardin said in a statement.

Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro met in April during a regional summit, marking the first time U.S. and Cuban leaders have met in person since 1958.

For Obama, the embassy announcements come amid what the White House sees as one of the strongest stretches of his second term. He scored major legislative and legal victories last week, with Congress giving him fast-track authority for an Asia-Pacific free trade deal and the Supreme Court upholding a key provision of his health care law.

The court also ruled in favor of gay marriage nationwide, an outcome Obama supported.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-07-01

[Publicus]

Myanmar is opening up with two visits there by Prez Obama and now the US will re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba which is actually a close neighbor. Almost all of Latin America welcomes this as long overdue by the United States. Only Prez Obama could have done this among presidents since the Cold War ended.

And because the US has not needed the US Naval base at Guantanamo Bay for a very long time, Washington could close that too. Maybe Congress can auction the Navy base to the highest bidder to pay for the new embassy building in Havana.

[Johnny S]

Cuba can get ready to welcome a massive tourism from US - hope Cuba know better than others how to treat people that come to spend their hard earned money ....

[Seastallion]

Myanmar is opening up with two visits there by Prez Obama and now the US will re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba which is actually a close neighbor. Almost all of Latin America welcomes this as long overdue by the United States. Only Prez Obama could have done this among presidents since the Cold War ended.

And because the US has not needed the US Naval base at Guantanamo Bay for a very long time, Washington could close that too. Maybe Congress can auction the Navy base to the highest bidder to pay for the new embassy building in Havana.

I suspect that, both Dem and Rep, either openly or covertly are relishing being able to smoke hand-rolled Havanas legally.

[slipperylobster]

I think this is fantastic news. Cuba is so near to the Florida keys. Prices will go up, as people will eventually start going, just to get a T-shirt with Fidel Castro on it (smoking the cigar).

The world moves on. The Caribbean, Central, and South America will become more and more cooperative. The reason I think this is good, is because of the balance it gives (no Sharia down that way).

Anyways...Spanish is almost a necessity, in many regions of the USA. (One of my granddads was from Puerto Rico, circa 1898.

[Publicus]

Myanmar is opening up with two visits there by Prez Obama and now the US will re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba which is actually a close neighbor. Almost all of Latin America welcomes this as long overdue by the United States. Only Prez Obama could have done this among presidents since the Cold War ended.

And because the US has not needed the US Naval base at Guantanamo Bay for a very long time, Washington could close that too. Maybe Congress can auction the Navy base to the highest bidder to pay for the new embassy building in Havana.

I suspect that, both Dem and Rep, either openly or covertly are relishing being able to smoke hand-rolled Havanas legally.

Ah yes.

Each March I used to go to Tampa-St Pete to take in baseball spring training games at the various stadiums while also stocking up on the Cubanos. Some of my local friends would take me down some Little Havana back streets in Tampa and through a couple of alleyways to meet some kind of, ahem, rather serious looking sales representative who'd always have a bunch of boxes in his backpack and his hand extended for his favorite American Ben Franklin.

Lotsa Ben. The green black market.

Happy daze are here again.

Ole'

[sdanielmcev]

Myanmar is opening up with two visits there by Prez Obama and now the US will re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba which is actually a close neighbor. Almost all of Latin America welcomes this as long overdue by the United States. Only Prez Obama could have done this among presidents since the Cold War ended.

And because the US has not needed the US Naval base at Guantanamo Bay for a very long time, Washington could close that too. Maybe Congress can auction the Navy base to the highest bidder to pay for the new embassy building in Havana.

I suspect that, both Dem and Rep, either openly or covertly are relishing being able to smoke hand-rolled Havanas legally.

Cubans cigars aren't anything special. I don't think it is so much they got bad. Seems other countries just got better.

[Seastallion]

Myanmar is opening up with two visits there by Prez Obama and now the US will re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba which is actually a close neighbor. Almost all of Latin America welcomes this as long overdue by the United States. Only Prez Obama could have done this among presidents since the Cold War ended.

And because the US has not needed the US Naval base at Guantanamo Bay for a very long time, Washington could close that too. Maybe Congress can auction the Navy base to the highest bidder to pay for the new embassy building in Havana.

I suspect that, both Dem and Rep, either openly or covertly are relishing being able to smoke hand-rolled Havanas legally.

Cubans cigars aren't anything special. I don't think it is so much they got bad. Seems other countries just got better.

Ahhh, ok. I didn't know. They used to be famous....hand rolled on thighs of virgins etc. lol.

[sdanielmcev]

Myanmar is opening up with two visits there by Prez Obama and now the US will re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba which is actually a close neighbor. Almost all of Latin America welcomes this as long overdue by the United States. Only Prez Obama could have done this among presidents since the Cold War ended.

And because the US has not needed the US Naval base at Guantanamo Bay for a very long time, Washington could close that too. Maybe Congress can auction the Navy base to the highest bidder to pay for the new embassy building in Havana.

I suspect that, both Dem and Rep, either openly or covertly are relishing being able to smoke hand-rolled Havanas legally.

Ah yes.

Each March I used to go to Tampa-St Pete to take in baseball spring training games at the various stadiums while also stocking up on the Cubanos. Some of my local friends would take me down some Little Havana back streets in Tampa and through a couple of alleyways to meet some kind of, ahem, rather serious looking sales representative who'd always have a bunch of boxes in his backpack and his hand extended for his favorite American Ben Franklin.

Lotsa Ben. The green black market.

Happy daze are here again.

Ole'

Got any other illegal activities you want to confess?

[slipperylobster]

Myanmar is opening up with two visits there by Prez Obama and now the US will re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba which is actually a close neighbor. Almost all of Latin America welcomes this as long overdue by the United States. Only Prez Obama could have done this among presidents since the Cold War ended.

And because the US has not needed the US Naval base at Guantanamo Bay for a very long time, Washington could close that too. Maybe Congress can auction the Navy base to the highest bidder to pay for the new embassy building in Havana.

I suspect that, both Dem and Rep, either openly or covertly are relishing being able to smoke hand-rolled Havanas legally.

Cubans cigars aren't anything special. I don't think it is so much they got bad. Seems other countries just got better.

Ahhh, ok. I didn't know. They used to be famous....hand rolled on thighs of virgins etc. lol.

I roll on Thai virgins and am told I taste no better than a Cuban cigar

[NickJ]

Its about time....I just never saw the logic in the US burying the hatchet with so many nations after actual war. Yet this Cuba mess has lagged for so long..... Well, wont be to long before its ruined with Fast Food franchises....KFC will be killing Cubans in no time.

[Publicus]

Its about time....I just never saw the logic in the US burying the hatchet with so many nations after actual war. Yet this Cuba mess has lagged for so long..... Well, wont be to long before its ruined with Fast Food franchises....KFC will be killing Cubans in no time.

It was the Cold War and the Castros in control of Cuba were openly on the side of the Soviet Union as exposed spectacularly by the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962.

The momentum of it was strong until the USSR finally failed in 1991. Prez Clinton sent Elian Gonzales back to his father in Cuba as his father wished which most Americans supported but the Cubans in Florida raised hell about.

No one expected the Presidents Bush to change the policy given that the Florida Cubans control the Republican party on the issue.

Prez Obama's transformative presidency is now occurring officially and it will continue to occur over the coming 18 months until his successor puts on her presidential pants suit to carry forward this and other new initiative policies.