A US delegation led by CIA director John Ratcliffe met with officials from Cuba’s Interior Ministry in Havana on Thursday, according to Cuban state media.
The visit was confirmed in a statement published by state-run outlet Cuba Debate, marking a rare engagement between the two sides
Cuban officials said both sides discussed security coordination. The statement said, "Both sides also underscored their interest in developing bilateral cooperation between law enforcement agencies in the interest of the security of both countries, as well as regional and international security," reports Reuters.
A statement, translated from Spanish, reads:
Following the request submitted by the U.S. government that a delegation presided over by the CIA Director, John Ratcliffe, be received in Havana, the Revolutionary Directorate approved the realization of this visit and the meeting with its counterpart from the Ministry of the Interior.
The meeting took place this Thursday, May 14, in a context characterized by the complexity of bilateral relations, in order to contribute to political dialogue between the two nations, as part of the efforts to address the current scenario.
The elements provided by the Cuban side and the exchanges held with the U.S. delegation made it possible to categorically demonstrate that Cuba does not constitute a threat to the national security of the U.S., nor are there legitimate reasons to include it on the list of countries that, allegedly, sponsor terrorism.
During the meeting, the consistency and coherence of our country's historical position with the actions of the Cuban government and its competent authorities in confronting and unequivocally condemning terrorism in all its forms and manifestations could be verified.
This is a breaking news story.
