Cuban President Raul Castro is ready to listen to what President-elect Barack Obama has to say about US-Cuban relations. But Castro told Sean Penn, who traveled to Cuba to interview the dictator, that the meeting would have to be on neutral ground. Castro said:
Personally, I think it would not be fair that I be the first to visit, because it is always the Latin American presidents who go to the United States first. But it would also be unfair to expect the president of the United States to come to Cuba. We should meet in a neutral place. Perhaps we could meet at Guantanamo.
Apparently Castro would set a location precondition before meeting face-to-face with the US president. As a presidential candidate, Barack Obama indicated that he would take steps to loosen the US-Cuba trade embargo. The majority of you agreed with such a policy. So tell me what you think about this proposal — should Barack Obama set up a meeting with Raul Castro in a neutral place to discuss the 40-year grudge?
Belstaff
Esprit
Casadei
IMO - We shouldn't meet with Cuba until Castro improves the treatment of "his" people.
1As of 11/28/08 Cuba is in talks with Russia (Cold War buddies). Russia is giving Cuba millions of dollars in aid this year alone. Don't you think that's a little too close for comfort?
2So, does it become a race to see who can give more aid? If Russia wants to provide aid to a government that abuses their citizens, I'm ok with that. I would increase our "observation" of Cuba, and their dealings with Russia, to make sure we don't have another missile crisis, not that that would happen now that we both have ICBMs.
3So Russia gets to build a base in kind for the grub? I'm just say'n...
4Let'em build a base. The weather is nice, and the cigars are good. We already have a base there as well. I jus don't like the idea of helping a government that abuses its citizens.
5I buy Cuban cigars...Romeo Y Julieta, just do'n my part!
6Those are good cigars. I get'em when I can too. I'd rather have someone like Russia helping Cuba, than someone like Chavez.
7President Elect Obama should meet with the Cuban leader however after preliminary meetings between the mutual State departments which will lay the ground work for such a high level meeting. I also agree it should be a summit like neutral location.
8Undave: we get sameday delivery...cute box too.
9I would agree that we need to begin a dialogue hypno, and it should begin in the state dept. Let them iron out the little differences, and when we've come to an agreement on the little things, let the two leaders come together.
Same day delivery?!? Where do you live, and can I come visit?
10HOLLYWOOD...we have cigar clubs here.
11I think he should meet with any and all leaders, talking is good. Obama seems like the type of person who would not give anything away.
12I agree with Janneth
13The Cuba situation must be resolved soon. That embargo makes no sense! Of course, a neutral ground should be found elsewhere but talks should begin soon.
BTW, lol at the "neutral" Guantanamo.
14Hmmm. Deja vu. (Emphasis mine)
Although it may seem that the events of the seven days between October 22 and 28 unfolded at a blinding pace, the entire incident -- which has come to be collectively known as the "Cuban missile crisis" -- was the culmination of a longer process. In June of 1961, while still in the early months of his presidency, Kennedy attended a summit with Premier Khrushchev in Vienna to discuss cold war confrontations between the east and west, in particular the situation in Berlin. The failure of the two leaders to resolve any of their differences during the summit led Khrushchev to view Kennedy as a weak president who lacked the power or support to negotiate any meaningful concessions in the arms race.
From: www . hpol . org / record . php?id=11
15Yes, I think he should meet with Castro. It's ridiculous that we are still avoiding a meeting after all these years. Simply meeting with the man does not mean that we're condoning the way they do things down there, and may lead to a better mutual understanding. We should have a little more self-confidence than to be afraid of meeting with the leader of an impoverished, failed communist state.
And yea, the Gitmo thing was funny.
16I agree with Janneth.
Lainetm - Obama isn't Kennedy. Let's see what he can do.
17gigill -- I also agree that Obama isn't Kennedy. I'm sure he can handle a meeting with R. Castro, and I hope they can finally put this longstanding feud behind us. I want to be able to hop on a plane here and fly right to Cuba!! =D
18Only if Cuba agrees to give back all the assets they seized which started the embargo in the first place.
19And I doubt that would happen.
20I love being Canadian and being able to travel to Cuba - it really is a great country with fantastic people (I'm referring to the common people in case that wasn't clear).
UnDave, the US deals with far more sadistic leaders than either Castro brother, so I just don't get that argument.
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