Not yet, says Obama on visiting Cuba

December 20, 2014 02:55

US President Barack Obama today ruled out visiting Cuba in the near future or a White House visit from his Cuban counterpart, days after announcing a resumption of diplomatic relations with the communist island.

"With respect to Cuba, we're not at a stage here where me visiting Cuba or President (Raul) Castro coming to the United States is on the cards. I don't know how this relationship will develop over the next several years," Obama told reporters during his year-end news conference.

"I'm a fairly young man, so I imagine that at some point in my life, I will have the opportunity to visit Cuba and enjoy interacting with the Cuban people. But there's nothing specific where we're trying to target some sort of visit on my part," he said when asked if he plans to visit Cuba.

Responding to a question, Obama said it would be unrealistic for him to map out exactly where Cuba will be.

"But change is going to come to Cuba. It has to. They've got an economy that doesn't work. They've been reliant for years first on subsidies from the Soviet Union, then on subsidies from Venezuela. Those can't be sustained," he said.

"The more the Cuban people see what's possible, the more interested they are going to be in change. But how societies change is country-specific. It's culturally specific. It could happen fast. It could happen slower than I'd like. But it's gonna happen, and I think this policy is gonna advance that," he added.

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