- The Washington Times - Saturday, August 15, 2015

Cuba’s lead negotiator in talks with Washington said Friday the island’s internal affairs would never be on the negotiating table and Havana would never move “one millimeter” to placate enemies in the United States.

“Decisions on internal matters are not negotiable and will never be put on the negotiating agenda in conversations with the United States,” Josefina Vidal, director of U.S. affairs for the Cuban Foreign Ministry, told Reuters.

“Cuba will never do absolutely anything, not move one millimeter, to try to respond,” she added.

Ms. Vidal’s comment comes as the U.S. reinstated diplomatic ties with Cuba after 54 years of silence. The U.S. re-opened it’s embassy in Havana on Friday. 

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in Havana that the U.S. Congress was unlikely to ever lift a punishing economic embargo on Cuba unless the Communist government improved its human rights record. 

• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.

Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

Please read our comment policy before commenting.

Click to Read More and View Comments

Click to Hide