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US, Cuba Disagree on Future Relations VOA News 29 Jan 2002 05:26 UTC 
The United States is dismissing Cuban suggestions that relations between the two adversaries are likely to improve in the near future.
In recent days, senior Cuban government officials such as Defense Minister Raul Castro, brother of President Fidel Castro, have spoken with optimism about future relations.
Raul Castro said Saturday recent trips to the island by U.S. politicians and business people show there can be a mutually-beneficial rapprochement based on principles of mutual respect and non-interference.
On Monday, however, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said relations cannot improve until the communist country guarantees its people certain basic human rights. He said in order for relations to change, Cuba must take certain steps that include holding free elections, releasing political prisoners and repealing laws that call for the imprisonment of Cubans critical of their government.
Cuba, for its part, has raised no objections to the U.S. military's transfer of prisoners from Afghanistan to the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Havana also says it is cooperating with Washington in the war on terrorism.
Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.
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