NEW YORK (Sputnik) — New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced plans on Thursday to lead a US trade delegation to Cuba on April 20 and boost business with the Caribbean island as the two nations try to repair ties after decades of hostility.
"This mission will be a tremendous stepping stone for our state's relationship with Cuba, and will help open the door to a new market for New York businesses. Creating an environment that supports growth and economic development is one of our administration's top priorities," Gov. Cuomo said in a statement.
Gov. Cuomo will be among the first high-profile US politicians to visit Cuba since US President Barack Obama announced a policy shift and launched talks on normalizing ties with its old Cold War enemy at the end of last year.
"As the gateway to America, New York State has always been a great symbol to the Cuban people. It has welcomed Cubans over the years as they came to visit and live in the US," Cabanas said in a statement.
Cuban President Raul Castro has welcomed the rapprochement, but has made clear that Havana will not abandon single-party rule or state control of the economy. The 54-year-old US embargo on Cuba remains in place because only the US Congress has the authority to lift it.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Cuba in July last year and promised to help its struggling offshore oil exploration and reinvest $3.5 billion of Cuban debt with Russia into development projects on the island.
