Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío told reporters that the Cuban Government’s willingness has been in effect since before the reestablishment of diplomatic relations in 2014.
Previously, at the 21st edition of a series of lectures called “Cuba in the Foreign Policy of the United States of America,” the deputy minister pointed out that in the face of the new presidential period that is approaching, Cuba’s conduct will continue to be consistent.
He stressed that Cuba would not take the initiative to suspend dialogues, cooperation and the discreet exchanges that exist on some sensitive issues.
During the last decade, bilateral relations have been characterized, according to Fernández de Cossío, by four realities: Cuba complied with all its commitments, seeking progress, while the United States failed to abide by practically all of its own.
He pointed out secondly that this brief period was beneficial for both nations and was supported and congratulated by the majority of the population and neighboring governments.
However, the deputy foreign minister noted that in the last eight years and throughout much of the history of diplomatic relations, aggression has defined bilateral ties. He made it clear the existence of an aggressing country and an attacked country in the difficult relationship between Cuba and the United States.
Fernández de Cossío recalled that despite the continuation of the policy of maximum economic pressure, there are certain political differences in the behavior of the incumbent US Government, the Joe Biden administration, with respect to the previous one, that of Donald Trump.
He pointed out that although there were some changes in different fields, Cuba remained on the State Department’s State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT) list.
Paradoxically, “the United States has practiced terrorism, including state terrorism, against Cuba, as well as other parts of the world,” he added.
Fernández de Cossío went on to say that these realities cannot be ignored when “we try to approach the difficult coexistence between Cuba and the United States.”
He indicated that there are areas that demonstrated the usefulness of a civilized and respectful relationship, and that Cuba, despite US hostility, has had the willingness to work on them and develop them.
At another point in his speech, the deputy minister referred to Cuba’s medical cooperation and how the US tries to classify this activity as “human trafficking” when it is not in any way.
He stressed that despite the US Government’s objective of mercilessly harming Cuba, “what it will not be able to do is achieving the goal of bending the Cubans’ will, because it does not have the capacity to convince Cuba that abandoning and renouncing self-determination are viable options.”
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