 "‘Not up for negotiation’: Cuba refuses to discuss political system or presidency with US")
Cuba on Friday firmly rejected suggestions that its political system or the term of its president could be subject to negotiation in talks with the United States, after reports that Washington had sought to remove Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel from power.
“I can categorically confirm that … the political system of Cuba is not up for negotiation, and of course neither the president nor the position of any official in Cuba is subject to negotiation with the United States,” Reuters quoted Vice Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio as telling a press conference.
Cuba acknowledged last week that it had entered talks with the US government as an oil blockade imposed by US President Donald Trump pushes the Communist-run nation deeper into economic crisis, and as Trump said he can do “anything I want” with Cuba, a sovereign neighbour.
Reports earlier this month, citing US sources, suggested the Trump administration was considering an economic deal that would relax trade restrictions but include an “off-ramp” for Díaz-Canel, and even seek to push him from power with years left in his term. Those proposals also reportedly would leave untouched the family of former leaders Fidel Castro and Raúl Castro.
De Cossio, who leads the foreign ministry’s office on U.S. relations, provided no further details on the bilateral discussions, including where and when they are taking place.
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View AllWhile reiterating Cuba’s refusal to negotiate on its internal political affairs, he noted there were “plenty of topics of mutual interest,” including trade severed by the comprehensive US economic embargo, and longstanding compensation claims between the two countries.
“These are very complex issues that can be discussed, but they require dialogue,” de Cossio said. “They require sitting down and are legitimate matters.”
Analysts say the talks represent one of the most significant shifts in US-Cuba relations in years, set against the backdrop of a deepening energy crisis in Cuba caused by the US oil blockade and broader tensions in the region.
With inputs from agencies
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