Absurd US Reply to Cuban Offer

[unhappycamper]

http://watchingamerica.com/News/229759/absurd-us-reply-to-cuban-offer/

Absurd US Reply to Cuban Offer
Argenpress, Argentina
By Manuel E. Yepe
Translated By Maria Tartaglia
6 January 2014
Edited by Lau­rence Bouvard

"The United States will be open to dialogue with Cuba, if it guarantees the protection of human rights," is the title* given by the newspaper El Nuevo Herald, voice of the Cuban-American extreme right in Miami, to an Agence France-Presse report on Dec. 24, 2013. "The U.S. government will be open to forging a new relationship with Cuba when the Cuban people enjoy the protection of fundamental human rights and ability to freely determine their own political future."

This was Washington’s flippant response — from "a high-ranking U.S. diplomat who requested anonymity" — to the repeated offer of dialogue made by President Raúl Castro to the incumbent in the White House in the closing speech for the eighth ongress' second regular session of the National Assembly of People’s Power — the Cuban parliament — on Dec. 21.

On that occasion, Cuba’s president stated that "as we were recently able to maintain certain exchanges on issues of mutual benefit between Cuba and the United States, we believe we could resolve other issues of interest and establish a civilized relationship between the two countries, just as our people, the great majority of American citizens and Cuban emigrants, desire."

"As far as we are concerned," stressed President Raúl Castro, "we have expressed on multiple occasions our willingness to maintain a respectful dialogue with the United States, on equal footing and without compromising independence, sovereignty and the self-determination of the nation. We are not requesting that the U.S. change its political and social systems, but neither will we agree to negotiate ours. If we truly want to advance bilateral relations, we must learn how to mutually respect our differences and become accustomed to living peacefully with those differences. Only under these circumstances can any of the above occur; otherwise, we are willing to endure another 55 years of the same situation."

[newfie11]

1. It is embarrassing to be an American

No wonder other countries don't like/trust us.
I don't like what we've become either.