Mutual irritation, but not stalemate

Despite predictions that recent polarizing events would freeze the slow steps of US-Cuba rapprochement, the last week or so has shown more persistence on both sides to overcome differences in favor of continuing productive dialogue on relevant issues.

1. US business representatives and Cuban tourism officials met in Cancún last week for three days to discuss recent developments in the Cuban tourism industry and the possibility that restrictions on US travel to the island will soon be lifted. This was the first US-Cuba Travel Summit in many years, after the meetings were suspended under the George W. Bush administration with the tightening of relevant restrictions.
2. Yesterday, Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez and Cheryl Mills, chief of staff to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, held a meeting at the UN in New York to discuss the continuing rebuilding effort in Haiti post-earthquake and other issues. The meeting continues falls in line with the trend over the past year of progressively higher-level officials from each side convening to discuss mutual concerns.

After this second meeting, a US government spokesperson said that the US side did not agree with Cuba “on very much,” and indeed, this is not surprising given the number of disputes over the last several months. But agreeing on everything is not necessary: healthy dialogue between neighbors whose concerns overlap on migration, trade, security, energy, climate change, environmental protection, natural disasters, and health (among others) is.