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The Summit of the Americas is to resume in Panama City for a second day, with substantive diplomatic high-handed talks expected between the US and Cuba.
The meeting between Presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro will be of the first top-level negotiations between the two countries for more than half a century. President Obama has signalled that he is prepared to take Cuba off Washington’s list of state sponsors of terrorism.
The two leaders who met briefly each other at the summit’s opening ceremony shook hands for the first time since a thaw in their relationship that began in the month of December. However, Saturday’s historic talks could be overshadowed by tensions between Venezuela and the US.
Prior to the summit, Mr Obama had told to the Latin American leaders that the days when his country could freely interfere in regional affairs are things of past and the conditions do not remain the same anymore.
America had severed its diplomatic relations with the nation in 1959 after Fidel Castro and his brother Raul led a revolution toppling the American supported President Fulgencio Batista. The Castros then established a revolutionary socialist state, with receiving strong backing from the Soviet Union.
The two countries had not shared ambassadors from the past six years since being at loggerheads with each other. The talks are expected to renew their relations, giving fresh momentum for new deals and friendship.
Tags: America Castro Cuba Obama
