Working group at US Congress favors relations with Cuba

HAVANA, Cuba, Dec 17 (acn) A dozen US democratic and republican legislators announced on Wednesday the setting up of a working group at the House of Representatives to consolidate the rapprochement between Cuba and the United States.

The group´s setting up is scheduled for Thursday, December 17, which marks a year since the historic announcement by presidents Raul Castro and Barack Obama about the reestablishment of bilateral diplomatic relations.

The group members said they expect to carry out seminars and meet with experts to draw attention on how the reforms in the United States and Cuba are opening new avenues for personal, diplomatic and commercial relations.

For Marc Hanson, senior advisor of the Washington Office on Latin America, the decision of the US representatives is outstanding because it will be instrumental to translate the overwhelming support and eliminate the blockade of Cuba through legislations at the US Congress.

Throughout the year, the legislators that now make up the group have presented several draft legislations that have not yet found their way through.

These bills pursue that all US citizens are allowed to visit Cuba and that US companies may do business with the island with no restrictions.

So far, Washington and Havana have reached important accords on the fight against drug trafficking, the smuggling of persons, the protection of marine ecosystems, and the reopening of the postal service.