On Cuba Magazine

By: Hugo Cancio & Arturo Lopez Levi

3 October, 2013

Last Friday, President Barack Obama made a historical phone call to President Hassan Rouhani of the Islamic Republic of Iran. For millions of Americans and Iranians this conversation of minutes offers an opportunity to think on past decades of confrontations and a hope for less antagonistic relationships in the future. The Presidents’ phone conversation was possible because of some important leadership transitions in Washington and Teheran. In 2008, president Obama proclaimed his flexibility to establish a dialogue not only with friends but also with adversaries. During the Iranian presidential elections, president Rohani declared his will to negotiate and compromise with the West about his country’s nuclear program. Although the U.S.-Cuba relationship is lower in American priorities than Washington’s policy towards Teheran,  the positions presented by president Obama and Secretary Kerry make  the public  wonder why there are not similar bold steps of dialogue  with the Raul Castro’s government. As Cuban-Americans committed to better relations between Cuba and the United States, we believe that there are favorable conditions in Havana, Washington and Miami to build greater understanding and direct communication between government, civil society, business and social leaders on both sides of the Strait of Florida. The processes of economic reform and political liberalization in Cuba and the generational change in Miami are showing a Cuban nation that is eager to engage and for the links between the U.S and Cuba to grow.

Read the rest of this fascinating article here! http://www.oncubamagazine.com/latest/obama-speaks-to-rohani-is-raul-castro-next/