Kerry in Cuba: ’Cuba’s Future Is for Cubans To Shape’

RUSH TRANSCRIPT:

"My friends, it doesn't take a GPS to realize that the road of mutual isolationization and enstrangement that the united States and Cuba was traveling was not the right one. It would be unrealistic to expect normalization efforts to have an impact. After all Cuba's future is for Cubans to shape.

Responsibility for the nature and quality of governance and accountability rests as it should not without any outside entity but solely within the citizens of this country. The leaders in Havana and the Cuban people should also know that the United States will always remain a champion of democratic principles and reforms. Like many other governments in and outside this hemisphere, we will continue to urge them.

We remain convinced the people of Cuba would be best served by genuine democracy will people are free to choose their leaders with commitment, economic and social justice. Institutions are answerable to those they serve and where civil society is independent and allowed to flourish.

Let me be clear. The establishment of normal diplomatic relations is not something that one government does as a favor to another. It is something that two countries do together when the citizens of both will benefit. In this case, the reopening of our embassies is important on two levels. People to people and government to government."