克里国务卿就美国与古巴恢复外交关系英语演讲稿.docxVIP

克里国务卿就美国与古巴恢复外交关系英语演讲稿 SECRETARY KERRY: Good afternoon, everybody. Thank you for your patience. InWashington a few moments ago, President Obama announced that we had reached anagreement to formally re-establish diplomatic relations with the Republic of Cuba and that wewill reopen embassies in our respective countries. Later this summer, as the President announced, I will travel to Cuba to personally take part inthe formal reopening of our United States Embassy in Havana. This will mark the resumption ofembassy operations after a period of 54 years. It will also be the first visit by a Secretary ofState to Cuba since 1945. The reopening of our embassy, I will tell you, is an important step onthe road to restoring fully normal relations between the United States and Cuba. Coming aquarter of a century after the end of the Cold War, it recognizes the reality of the changedcircumstances, and it will serve to meet a number of practical needs. The United States and Cuba continue to have sharp differences over democracy, human rights,and related issues, but we also have identified areas for cooperation that include lawenforcement, safe transportation, emergency response, environmental protection,telecommunications, and migration. The resumption of full embassy activities will help usengage the Cuban Government more often and at a higher level, and it will also allow ourdiplomats to interact more frequently, and frankly more broadly and effectively, with theCuban people. In addition, we will better be able to assist Americans who travel to the islandnation in order to visit family members or for other purposes. This transition, this moment in history, is taking place because President Obama made apersonal, fundamental decision to change a policy that didnt work and that had been inplace not working for far too long. I believe thats leadership, and I appreciate that leadership.And President Castro felt similarly that it was time for a change. Both leaders agre