Postal Service Talks
By Dr. Néstor García Iturbe
A CubaNews translation.
Edited by Walter Lippmann.
September 19, 2009
Very interesting, the statement issued by officials from the U.S. State Department on September 18 about talks aimed at resuming direct postal service between the United States and Cuba.
According to the note, they are very pleased with the initial discussions of a first round of conversations that the U.S. government considers to have been positive, after a one-day meeting where a variety of issues related to transportation, quality and security of mail service between both countries were covered.
Since these first talks were held in Havana, the Cubans offered the U.S. delegation an opportunity to tour a Cuban mail processing center and post office, and the U.S. officials offered to reciprocate the tour with a visit to an international processing center in the U.S. when the Cubans travel to their country to resume talks, which both sides agreed after consultation in their respective capitals on the issues raised.
So far, so good… Problem is, the spokesman could not help seizing the opportunity to try and do Obama a little of much-needed credit.
What’s behind the Obama administration’s efforts to re-establish direct postal services between the United States and Cuba?
In words of the spokesman, “establishing direct mail service supports President Obama’s goals, as announced April 13, of bridging the gap among divided Cuban families and promoting the free flow of information to the Cuban people”.
I’m convinced that in the meeting with the Cuban postal authority, the U.S. delegation failed to give a correct explanation as to the whys and wherefores of their goals, as unlikely to have been addressed in the first meeting as it will be in the next ones.
Who keeps open the gap dividing Cuban families? Who prevents the Cuban people from being properly informed?
Two issues deserving long talks with any U.S. delegation, be it under Clinton, Bush or Obama, the president of the moment. Those who encourage Cubans to leave by illegal means, maintain the ‘dry feet, wet feet’ law, and have extended the commercial blockade to apply as well to culture, information and every aspect of life in the Island have very few arguments to discuss these matters with Cuba.