Obama shakes hands with leader of Cold War foe
Print Edition
US President Barack Obama shook hands with Raul Castro, leader of long-time Cold War foe Cuba, at yesterday’s memorial service in South Africa for Nelson Mandela.
Obama offered the handshake before taking the stage to give his speech at the ceremony, in a new sign of his willingness to reach out to US enemies, a US official said.
The United States maintains a five-decade-old embargo against the communist nation, which Havana says has cost the economy US$1.1 trillion.
The handshake was seen by millions around the world watching the memorial being broadcast live and comes as Obama tries to make good on his vow to reach out even to the most implacable of US foes.
In September, the US leader spoke by telephone with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, in the first such gesture since the 1979 revolution in the Islamic republic.
Cuba and the US have had only limited ties for half a century, most of it under the rule of Raul’s brother Fidel Castro.
It is unclear if yesterday’s gesture will significantly thaw relations. In 2000, then US President Bill Clinton shook the hand of Fidel Castro at the UN General Assembly in New York.
There was no picture of the moment and the White House initially denied it had happened.
Havana and Washington have not had diplomatic relations since 1961, two years after Fidel Castro came to power in the Cuban revolution.
Since Obama took office tensions have eased, with both countries reaching a series of agreements seen as confidence building measures including cooperation on air and maritime rescue, migratory issues.
In 2011 Obama eased restrictions on visas, remittances and travel.
The move was designed to expand religious and educational travel, allow any airport to offer charter flights to the country and restore cultural initiatives suspended by the previous Bush administration.
Talks are underway to resume a direct postal service between the two countries.
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