A US Congressional delegation on Wednesday urged the Trump Administration to continue engaging with the Cuban government on a wide range of issues, including expanding commercial ties and loosening the trade embargo against the island nation.
The visit comes as news that President Trump was reviewing US policy towards Cuba was causing uncertainty in both countries and casting some doubt as to whether US engagement would continue to be the driving force behind relations between the two Cold War antagonists.
Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, said after meeting with Cuban President Raul Castro the delegation was convinced the Cuban government would continue internal reforms aimed at modernizing the country, and would want good relations with the US.
Republican Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi, said the Trump Administration was willing to try new things, including continuing the normalization process begun more than two years ago by the Obama Administration.
Cochran, as head of the powerful US Senate Appropriations Committee, would be a key figure promoting deeper commercial ties between the United States and Cuba.
The bipartisan delegation says it will return to Washington with a message to both President Trump and Congress that engagement with Cuba would be the best policy going forwards.
(AP)
