Good morning, everybody. Please have a seat.
More than 54 years ago, at the height of the Cold War, the United States closed its embassy inHavana. Today, I can announce that the United States has agreed to formally re-establishdiplomatic relations with the Republic of Cuba, and re-open embassies in our respectivecountries. This is a historic step forward in our efforts to normalize relations with the Cubangovernment and people, and begin a new chapter with our neighbors in the Americas.
When the United States shuttered our embassy in 1961, I don't think anyone expected that itwould be more than half a century before it re-opened. After all, our nations are separated byonly 90 miles, and there are deep bonds of family and friendship between our people. But therehave been very real, profound differences between our governments, and sometimes we allowourselves to be trapped by a certain way of doing things.
For the United States, that meant clinging to a policy that was not working. Instead ofsupporting democracy and opportunity for the Cuban people, our efforts to isolate Cubadespite good intentions increasingly had the opposite effect – cementing the status quo andisolating the United States from our neighbors in this hemisphere. The progress that we marktoday is yet another demonstration that we don't have to be imprisoned by the past. Whensomething isn't working, we can – and will – change.
Last December, I announced that the United States and Cuba had decided to take steps tonormalize our relationship. As part of that effort, President Raul Castro and I directed our teamsto negotiate the re-establishment of embassies. Since then, our State Department has workedhard with their Cuban counterparts to achieve that goal. And later this summer, SecretaryKerry will travel to Havana formally to proudly raise the American flag over our embassy oncemore.
This is not merely symbolic. With this change, we will be able to substantially increase ourcontacts with the Cuban people. We'll have more personnel at our embassy. And our diplomatswill have the ability to engage more broadly across the island. That will include the Cubangovernment, civil society, and ordinary Cubans who are reaching for a better life.
On issues of common interest – like counterterrorism, disaster response, and development –we will find new ways to cooperate with Cuba. And I've been clear that we will also continue tohave some very serious differences. That will include America's enduring support for universalvalues, like freedom of speech and assembly, and the ability to access information. And we willnot hesitate to speak out when we see actions that contradict those values.
However, I strongly believe that the best way for America to support our values is throughengagement. That's why we've already taken steps to allow for greater travel, people-to-peopleand commercial ties between the United States and Cuba. And we will continue to do so goingforward.
Since December, we've already seen enormous enthusiasm for this new approach. Leadersacross the Americas have expressed support for our change in policy; you heard thatexpressed by President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil yesterday. Public opinion surveys in both ourcountries show broad support for this engagement. One Cuban said, "I have prepared for thisall my life." Another said that that, "this is like a shot of oxygen." One Cuban teacher put itsimply: "We are neighbors. Now we can be friends."
Here in the United States, we've seen that same enthusiasm. There are Americans who wantto travel to Cuba and American businesses who want to invest in Cuba. American colleges anduniversities that want to partner with Cuba. Above all, Americans who want to get to knowtheir neighbors to the south. And through that engagement, we can also help the Cubanpeople improve their own lives. One Cuban American looked forward to "reuniting families andopening lines of communications." Another put it bluntly: "You can't hold the future of Cubahostage to what happened in the past."
And that's what this is about: a choice between the future and the past.
Americans and Cubans alike are ready to move forward. I believe it's time for Congress to dothe same. I've called on Congress to take steps to lift the embargo that prevents Americansfrom travelling or doing business in Cuba. We've already seen members from both parties beginthat work. After all, why should Washington stand in the way of our own people?
Yes, there are those who want to turn back the clock and double down on a policy of isolation.But it's long past time for us to realize that this approach doesn't work. It hasn't worked for 50years. It shuts America out of Cuba's future, and it only makes life worse for the Cuban people.
So I'd ask Congress to listen to the Cuban people. Listen to the American people. Listen to thewords of a proud Cuban American, Carlos Gutierrez, who recently came out against the policy ofthe past, saying, "I wonder if the Cubans who have to stand in line for the most basicnecessities for hours in the hot Havana sun feel that this approach is helpful to them."
Of course, nobody expects Cuba to be transformed overnight. But I believe that Americanengagement – through our embassy, our businesses, and most of all, through our people – isthe best way to advance our interests and support for democracy and human rights. Time andagain, America has demonstrated that part of our leadership in the world is our capacity tochange. It's what inspires the world to reach for something better.
A year ago, it might have seemed impossible that the United States would once again beraising our flag, the stars and stripes, over an embassy in Havana. This is what change lookslike.
In January of 1961, the year I was born, when President Eisenhower announced thetermination of our relations with Cuba, he said: It is my hope and my conviction that it is "inthe not-too-distant future it will be possible for the historic friendship between us once again tofind its reflection in normal relations of every sort." Well, it took a while, but I believe thattime has come. And a better future lies ahead.
Thank you very much. And I want to thank some of my team who worked diligently to makethis happen. They're here. They don't always get acknowledged. We're really proud of them.Good work.
