US Turns Down Talks With Cuba

Why does every country have to be a democracy before the US will deal with it? Let me re-phrase that. Every country which has no resources US companies want to exploit.

The United States says the Cuban regime must take steps toward democracy before Washington would consider any “deepening” of bilateral relations, responding to Raul Castro’s invitation to come to the negotiating table.

“The dialogue that needs to take place is one between the Cuban regime and the Cuban people about the democratic future of the island,” Janelle Hironimus, a State Department spokeswoman, said.

“As we have consistently stated, any deepening of our engagement with Cuba depends on that dialogue and the Cuban regime’s willingness to take concrete steps toward a political opening and a transition to democracy,” she said.

Raul Castro, Cuba’s defence minister and interim leader since his ailing brother Fidel underwent surgery in July, said in a speech to troops yesterday: “Let me take this opportunity to express our willingness to settle the long US-Cuba disagreement at the negotiating table.”

“Of course, that is, as long as they accept that we are a country that does not tolerate any reduction of its independence, and based on the principles of equality, reciprocity, non-interference and mutual respect,” he told Communist Party and military leaders at Cuba’s first military parade in a decade.

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