Statement to the press by Josefina Vidal, general director for the United States at Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Statement to the press by Josefina Vidal, general director for the United States at Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Cuba, Sep 30 – Today we have learned of a State Department communiqué that reports the decision of the U.S. government to reduce personnel at its embassy in Havana.

As we reported this past September 26, in a meeting held that day with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, on the initiative of the Cuban side, our minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla:

• Advised him not make hasty decisions that were not based on evidence or conclusive results of investigations;

• Called on him to avoid politicizing an issue of this nature; and

• Reiterated our request for effective cooperation on the part of U.S. authorities to fully conclude the investigation underway regarding the alleged incidents involving U.S. diplomats in Havana.

He emphasized that the government of Cuba has no responsibility whatsoever for the alleged acts, and seriously, rigorously fulfills its obligations according to the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, in terms of protecting the physical integrity of accredited diplomatic agents in the country and their family members, without exception.

We believe that the decision announced by the State Department is ill-advised and will affect bilateral relations, in particular, cooperation on issues of mutual interest and exchanges of a diverse nature between out two countries.

I would like to reiterate Cuba’s willingness to continue active cooperation between authorities of our two countries, to fully clarify these events, which requires more efficient involvement on the part of the United States.(Granma)

Havana, September 29, 2017