Cuba restores ties with US but wants embargo ended

Havana, Dec 18: Cuban President Raul Castro has announced the re-establishment of diplomatic ties with the US, broken since 1961, in a historic move that has taken Cubans by surprise but which paves the way towards the long-awaited end of the economic embargo choking the weakened Cuban economy. Castro announced Wednesday the resumption of diplomatic ties with the US after more than 50 years of hostility, in an appearance on Cuban television with a simultaneous appearance by President Barack Obama from Washington. "This does not mean that the main thing is resolved. The economic, commercial and financial blockade that causes enormous human and economic damage to our country must cease," said Castro. Castro proposed to the US to adopt mutual steps to improve the bilateral climate and move towards the normalisation of ties, something that could be achieved with the early opening of respective embassies in Havana and Washington. Delegations from the US and Cuba began secret talks more than a year ago to explore the normalisation of relations -- in Canada and facilitated by the personal involvement of Pope Francis and the Vatican.