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| John Kerry to raise US flag at Havana embassy | John Kerry to raise US flag at Havana embassy |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The US secretary of state is to raise the American flag at the recently restored US embassy in Havana, another symbolic step in the thawing of relations between the two cold war-era foes. | |
| The ceremony, raising the flag over the building for the first time in 54 years, comes nearly four weeks after the US and Cuba formally renewed diplomatic relations and upgraded their diplomatic missions to embassies. | The ceremony, raising the flag over the building for the first time in 54 years, comes nearly four weeks after the US and Cuba formally renewed diplomatic relations and upgraded their diplomatic missions to embassies. |
| While the Cubans celebrated with a flag-raising in Washington on 20 July, the Americans waited until John Kerry could travel to Havana. | |
| Related: Spies, artificial insemination and the pope: how Cuba came in from the cold | Related: Spies, artificial insemination and the pope: how Cuba came in from the cold |
| Kerry, the first US secretary of state to visit Cuba in 70 years, will be accompanied by aides, members of Congress and three US marines who last lowered the flag there in January 1961. Washington severed diplomatic ties with Havana as relations soured soon after the 1959 revolution. | |
| The seven-storey seafront building in Havana and Cuba’s mansion in Washington were closed from 1961 until 1977, when they reopened as interests sections. | |
| Seeking to end the long hostilities, the Cuban president, Raúl Castro, and Barack Obama announced last December they would restore diplomatic ties, reopen embassies and work to normalise relations. | |
| Obama has also used executive power to relax some US travel and trade restrictions but the Republican-controlled Congress has resisted his call to end America’s wider economic embargo. | |
| The Obama administration says Washington’s longstanding policy of trying to force change in Communist-governed Cuba through isolation did not work. Kerry told Univision television ahead of his trip he hoped to see a “transformation” begin to take place. | The Obama administration says Washington’s longstanding policy of trying to force change in Communist-governed Cuba through isolation did not work. Kerry told Univision television ahead of his trip he hoped to see a “transformation” begin to take place. |
| Related: Fidel Castro celebrates 89th birthday by calling on US to pay embargo damages | Related: Fidel Castro celebrates 89th birthday by calling on US to pay embargo damages |
| “More people will travel,” he said. “There will be more exchange. More families will be reconnected. And hopefully, the government of Cuba will itself make decisions that will begin to change things.” | “More people will travel,” he said. “There will be more exchange. More families will be reconnected. And hopefully, the government of Cuba will itself make decisions that will begin to change things.” |
| Kerry will meet Cuban dissidents at the US embassy residence in Havana on Friday afternoon. Dissidents were not invited to the morning flag-raising in deference to the Cuban government, which sees dissidents as US-sponsored mercenaries. | Kerry will meet Cuban dissidents at the US embassy residence in Havana on Friday afternoon. Dissidents were not invited to the morning flag-raising in deference to the Cuban government, which sees dissidents as US-sponsored mercenaries. |
| Restored diplomatic ties mean US diplomats can travel more freely and increase staff. Cuba has also reduced the number of security guards who keep on eye on Cubans going in and out. | Restored diplomatic ties mean US diplomats can travel more freely and increase staff. Cuba has also reduced the number of security guards who keep on eye on Cubans going in and out. |
| The task of normalising overall relations is more complicated. Cuba wants Washington to end the embargo, return the US naval base at Guantánamo Bay, and halt radio and television signals beamedonto its soil. | |
| The Americans will press Cuba on human rights, the return of fugitives granted asylum and the claims of Americans whose property was nationalised after Fidel Castro came to power. | The Americans will press Cuba on human rights, the return of fugitives granted asylum and the claims of Americans whose property was nationalised after Fidel Castro came to power. |