Cuban President Raul Castro has laid out the conditions to normalise relations with the United States, demanding an end to the embargo, the return of Guantanamo Bay and Havana's removal from a terror list.
Mr Castro issued his demands a week after the highest-ranking US delegation to Havana in 35 years and Cuban officials held landmark talks aimed at reopening embassies and renewing ties that broke off in 1961.
The Cuban leader, brother of former president Fidel Castro, also warned Washington to cease interference in Cuba's internal affairs.
"Everything appears to indicate that the aim is to foment an artificial political opposition via economic, political and communicational means," Mr Castro told a summit in Costa Rica.
"If these problems are not resolved, this diplomatic rapprochement between Cuba and the United States would be meaningless," he said.
"The main problem has not been resolved: the economic, commercial and financial blockade, which causes huge human and economic damage and is a violation of international rights," Mr Castro said.
"The establishment of diplomatic relations is the beginning of a process toward the normalisation of bilateral relations, but this won't be possible as long as the blockade exists."
Speaking at a summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States in Costa Rica, Mr Castro said that the road to ending the embargo would be "long and hard".
US President Barack Obama called on Congress last week to put an end to the embargo, which was imposed in 1962 and has been a major source of tension between the Cold War-era rivals since then.
Earlier this month, Mr Obama used his executive powers to ease travel and trade restrictions with Havana, putting a dent on the embargo.
But Mr Castro said that the US leader should do more.
"He could use with resolve his broad executive powers to substantially change the scope of the blockade, even without the Congress decision," he said.
The 33-nation summit is expected to issue a declaration condemning the embargo. The group was created by the late Venezuelan socialist leader Hugo Chavez.
"Enough with the criminal blockade of Cuba," Ecuador's leftist President Rafael Correa told the summit. Nicaraguan counterpart Daniel Ortega said the embargo "will have to disappear".
Mr Castro issued his demands a week after the highest-ranking US delegation to Havana in 35 years and Cuban officials held landmark talks aimed at reopening embassies and renewing ties that broke off in 1961.
The Cuban leader, brother of former president Fidel Castro, also warned Washington to cease interference in Cuba's internal affairs.
"Everything appears to indicate that the aim is to foment an artificial political opposition via economic, political and communicational means," Mr Castro told a summit in Costa Rica.
"If these problems are not resolved, this diplomatic rapprochement between Cuba and the United States would be meaningless," he said.
"The main problem has not been resolved: the economic, commercial and financial blockade, which causes huge human and economic damage and is a violation of international rights," Mr Castro said.
"The establishment of diplomatic relations is the beginning of a process toward the normalisation of bilateral relations, but this won't be possible as long as the blockade exists."
Speaking at a summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States in Costa Rica, Mr Castro said that the road to ending the embargo would be "long and hard".
US President Barack Obama called on Congress last week to put an end to the embargo, which was imposed in 1962 and has been a major source of tension between the Cold War-era rivals since then.
Earlier this month, Mr Obama used his executive powers to ease travel and trade restrictions with Havana, putting a dent on the embargo.
But Mr Castro said that the US leader should do more.
"He could use with resolve his broad executive powers to substantially change the scope of the blockade, even without the Congress decision," he said.
The 33-nation summit is expected to issue a declaration condemning the embargo. The group was created by the late Venezuelan socialist leader Hugo Chavez.
"Enough with the criminal blockade of Cuba," Ecuador's leftist President Rafael Correa told the summit. Nicaraguan counterpart Daniel Ortega said the embargo "will have to disappear".
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