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| Obama and Raúl Castro phone call sets stage for historic encounter at summit | Obama and Raúl Castro phone call sets stage for historic encounter at summit |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| After the highest-level meeting between the United States and Cuba in more than than 50 years, civil rights activists urged Barack Obama on Friday to match diplomatic rapprochement with democratic progress. | |
| In the latest of a series of historic steps away from the cold war, US secretary of state John Kerry held formal talks on Thursday evening with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez. | |
| The White House has also revealed that Obama and Cuban president Raúl Castro talked by telephone on Wednesday, ahead of an expected handshake between the two leaders at the Summit of the Americas. The event, which opens in Panama City on Friday evening, is the first time the two heads of state have appeared together since they made a surprise joint announcement on 17 December to move towards normalised relations. | |
| Adding to the momentum, the State Department has set the stage for the removal of Cuba from the US list of state sponsors of terror by completing a review of the island’s status. If Obama makes an announcement of a delisting at the summit, it would mark the most concrete step so far towards improved ties. | Adding to the momentum, the State Department has set the stage for the removal of Cuba from the US list of state sponsors of terror by completing a review of the island’s status. If Obama makes an announcement of a delisting at the summit, it would mark the most concrete step so far towards improved ties. |
| While widely welcomed by regional leaders, the thaw does not go far enough, according to Cuban democracy activists who have struggled to improve human rights on the island for decades. | While widely welcomed by regional leaders, the thaw does not go far enough, according to Cuban democracy activists who have struggled to improve human rights on the island for decades. |
| “I think Obama is moving too slowly,” said Rosa Maria Payá, who is campaigning for more representative government on the island. “So far the steps taken are those that the Cuban government has demanded rather than those that the Cuban people have demanded. They want the vote and a say in how their country is governed.” | “I think Obama is moving too slowly,” said Rosa Maria Payá, who is campaigning for more representative government on the island. “So far the steps taken are those that the Cuban government has demanded rather than those that the Cuban people have demanded. They want the vote and a say in how their country is governed.” |
| Payá – the daughter of acclaimed dissident Oswaldo Payá, who died in controversial circumstances in 2012 – was due to present the views of democracy activists to Obama at a civil rights forum later in the day. | |
| She will ask for support for the “Cuba Decides” campaign, which wants a plebiscite on the island to ask people if they want free elections. | She will ask for support for the “Cuba Decides” campaign, which wants a plebiscite on the island to ask people if they want free elections. |
| Payá was hostile towards the idea of a handshake between the two leaders – who have shaken hands before at Nelson Mandela’s funeral. | |
| Related: Obama hopes US-Cuba thaw paves way for diplomacy at Americas summit | Related: Obama hopes US-Cuba thaw paves way for diplomacy at Americas summit |
| “Obama will be shaking hands with a dictator, a general who has never been elected by the people and who got power through despotism and nepotism,” she told the Guardian. | “Obama will be shaking hands with a dictator, a general who has never been elected by the people and who got power through despotism and nepotism,” she told the Guardian. |
| Other activists said the US should not yet change Cuba’s status. “I don’t think they should remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Cuba still shelters terrorists and it still behaves like a terrorism in the way it treats us,” said Karine Douiza, referring to assaults and intimidation by Cuban pro-government supporters in Panama the previous day. | Other activists said the US should not yet change Cuba’s status. “I don’t think they should remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Cuba still shelters terrorists and it still behaves like a terrorism in the way it treats us,” said Karine Douiza, referring to assaults and intimidation by Cuban pro-government supporters in Panama the previous day. |
| US officials say a previous policy of confrontation with the Castro government has proved unsuccessful and led to the isolation of Washington in Latin America. Since the shift towards a friendlier approach, Obama has claimed US relations with the region are the best they have been for decades. | US officials say a previous policy of confrontation with the Castro government has proved unsuccessful and led to the isolation of Washington in Latin America. Since the shift towards a friendlier approach, Obama has claimed US relations with the region are the best they have been for decades. |
| However, the summit has also highlighted the continued hostility with several left-wing countries in the region, led by Venezuela. | However, the summit has also highlighted the continued hostility with several left-wing countries in the region, led by Venezuela. |
| The Alba grouping of “Bolivarian Socialist” nations had tabled a motion condemning a recent executive order by Obama to sanction seven Venezuelan officials for alleged human rights abuses during last year’s deadly street protests. | The Alba grouping of “Bolivarian Socialist” nations had tabled a motion condemning a recent executive order by Obama to sanction seven Venezuelan officials for alleged human rights abuses during last year’s deadly street protests. |
| Foreign ministers were unable to agree yesterday on a resolution on this and other issues, ensuring that Panama will be the third consecutive Summit of the Americas to end without a declaration agreed by all participants. | Foreign ministers were unable to agree yesterday on a resolution on this and other issues, ensuring that Panama will be the third consecutive Summit of the Americas to end without a declaration agreed by all participants. |