Cuban diplomat approves of talks with U.S.

Relations between Havana and Washington “are not in good shape” but at least there is a discreet dialogue between the two capitals, said Cuba’s new ambassador to Russia.

In an interview in Moscow on Friday the 27th with the news agency RIA-Novosti, Emilio Ratmir Lozada GarcÌa was cautiously optimistic about the recent contacts between his country and the United States.

“The relations between the United States and Cuba are not in good shape,” Lozada conceded to the Russian agency. “The fact that there is a dialogue on the issues of immigration and postal service represents some steps, but they’re not sufficient. What’s most important is that [the contact] exists and that it not only exists but also is growing stronger.”

However, the U.S. blockade against Cuba remains and “I wouldn’t say that this means that there are signs of improvement in the relations between our two countries,” he added.

Lozada mentioned the recent talks on joint sea-rescue operations and lamented that “there is still no agreement on this matter.” Nevertheless, “we’re going to give it our best effort.” (Read “Shipwreck victims are topic of Cuba-U.S. talks” in Progreso Weekly, Sept. 21.)

In mid-September, the postal authorities of Cuba and the United States held talks in Havana about a resumption of direct mail traffic between the two countries, suspended half a century ago. The main obstacle is the blockade imposed by Washington, which forbids the landing of Cuban aircraft in the United States.

Lozada, a former chief of staff in the Cuban Foreign Ministry, presented his credentials to the Kremlin last January. He replaces Juan Valdés Figueroa, who served four years as Cuba’s ambassador in Moscow.