Raul Castro to Visit France in February
HAVANA TIMES — Cuban President Raul Castro will make a visit to France this coming February, government spokesperson Stéphane Le Foll said today in Paris.
The announcement was made by Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, in a cabinet session. For now, they did not release more details of the visit.
French President Francois Hollande visited Cuba in May of this year, becoming the first head of state of a Western power to visit the island after the announcement of the diplomatic rapprochement between the US and Cuba a year ago.
On December 17, 2014, Castro and US President Barack Obama announced a completely unexpected thaw in diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Since then, the relationship between Cuba and the West has improved. However, several issues remain open, such as the still in effect US embargo imposed on the island since the 60’s.
The European Union has been negotiating since April last year a treaty of cooperation and political dialogue with the government in Havana, after years of a cooling in relations.
Fidel Castro visited France was in 1995.
Increasing productivity. Eliminating the dual money system. Liberating the private sector. Raising wages. Controlling corruption. Supporting individual human rights. Shall I go on….?
Moses, when you refer to Cuba getting its act together, what do you really mean? China has a Socialist doctrine and is prospering to the point where it is buoying up the economy of America by purchasing its Government Bonds. Explain to your readers about getting its act together?
After Hollande’s visit to Cuba in May, which generated a fresh coat of paint along the route Hollande would pass on his way to and from the National Hotel, nothing much else has changed for either country as a result of this historic visit. Castro, returning the favor, now plans to visit France. Will the Mariel Port Economic Trade Zone suddenly be overrun by French investors? Will wealthy French tourists begin to flood the resorts in the Cuban cayos? Probably no to both. These photo-ops are nice but Cuba needs to get its act together before real international investment will take place.