Cuba, US Hold First Talks on Human Rights
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iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — The first meeting between Cuba and the United States on human rights held Tuesday in Washington, D.C. proved that even with resounding differences between the two countries on the topic, they continue to move forward toward normal relations.
Pedro Luis Pedroso, Cuba’s Foreign Ministry deputy director for multilateral affairs, said Tuesday evening that despite “deep differences between both governments” regarding human rights, there is a chance for civilized relations based on “respect of those differences.”
The issue of human rights has held back normal relations and is a constant issue for moving forward among Republicans who express concern that removing the embargo will lead to rewarding Cuba while not changing its behavior — a point the Obama administration disagrees with.
Though Cuba has its own issues with human rights in the United States, Pedroso said during the talks at the State Department, “Cuba expressed concerns related to the guarantee and protection of human rights in the United States.” They cited examples including “discrimination and racism and the intensification of police brutality.” The Cubans also drew attention to the “legal limbo of prisoners in Guantanamo.”
Pedroso called the talks “professional and respectful,” and said the talks did not include whether American diplomatic teams have the right to meet with whomever they like in Cuba or whether human rights monitoring groups would be allowed in Cuba. That would be a part of the official State Department talks between Assistant U.S. Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson and Josefina Vidal, the Cuban Foreign Ministry’s chief of U.S. affairs.
Pedroso and his team plan to continue talks and be in contact with U.S. diplomatic teams going forward.
In a press release, the U.S. State Department acknowledged both sides raising concerns about human rights issues, and said “the atmosphere of the meeting was professional, and there was broad agreement on the way forward for a future substantive dialogue, the timing and location of which will be determined through diplomatic channels.”
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