Cuba to US: Everything But Sovereignty “On the Table”

Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Minister Josefina Vidal emphasized her government’s willingness to negotiate with the U.S. in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera.

“We are ready and willing and open to every issue on the negotiation agenda with the U.S., with one exception: independence, sovereignty and internal affairs,” she said.

Vidal mentioned “U.S. participation in Cuba’s economic transformation” as one of the issues her government would be willing to discuss.

Meanwhile, Lianys Torres Rivera, Cuba’s top diplomat in the U.S., told USA TODAY that Cuba would negotiate with the Trump administration on a “huge...range” of issues.

“So, the U.S. wants to be engaged in the economic transformation in Cuba? Let's do it,” she said.

Torres pointed to steps the Trump administration could take to advance negotiations, including removing Cuba from the state sponsors of terrorism list, suspending Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, and removing a restriction that prohibits Cuba from importing products from third countries that are made with at least 10% of U.S. components.