Cuban President Raul Castro 'willing to talk to US'

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-18995204

Cuban President Raul Castro has made a seemingly impromptu address at a Revolution Day ceremony and said he is willing to hold talks with the US.

Mr Castro, who had not spoken at the event for the past two years, grabbed the microphone to address the crowd in the eastern province of Guantanamo.

He said he would hold talks with the US, as long as it was "a conversation between equals".

The two countries have not had diplomatic relations for five decades.

[Judi Lynn]

1. A wise leader would break the insane, sadistic embargo, end the hostilities with the tiny country,

and take Cuba up on its offer, after all these long, cruel years.

About time to live up to US claims about itself, and end the hollow pretense.

Raul Castro is courageous, to make this gesture. He shouldn't be spit upon this time.

[flamingdem]

2. I think he is considerably less ideological than Fidel

He's practical. He knows that there is every reason for the two countries to be find areas of agreement and end hostilities. It takes a quick glance at China or Vietnam to see the US has dealt with similar transitions before and did not force those governments to follow our style of government, or our economy.

[Judi Lynn]

3. It makes no sense whatsoever for such a huge country to behave as ours has toward Cuba.

What horrifying nonsense has happened in our llifetimes.

Sure hope Cuba's president can make progress, and save Cuba's independence, without being harmed more by the U.S.

[Flatulo]

7. Judi, I agree with you 100%. The lack of relations with the Cuban people

has been our loss, not theirs.

Such warm, wonderful people with a strong culture - so close, but so far away for all these decades.

It's insane.

[Mika]

4. All Cubans have to do is agree to make cheap goods for multinational corporations.

And become a new tax haven for the 1%.

I'm not so sure US/Cuba relations will turn out like China or Vietnam. Both follow the old US economic paradigm ... manufacturing.



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[flamingdem]

5. Good point. I never think about that, I think about tourism mainly

due to the distance. The factory thing could happen if the dinosaurs get a handle on the place though.

[joshcryer]

8. Like those in China?

[naaman fletcher]

6. Back in the revolutionary days

he was MORE ideological than fidel. But perhaps you are right about where he is now.

[joshcryer]

9. It has nothing to do with ideology, it's political and economic reality.

The Cuban government does not want a Cuban Spring.