News / Russia / BreakingNews

Russia slams US military presence in Guantanamo

Thursday, 24 March 2016 1:07 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 24 March 2016 2:54 PM ]

A man dressed as a detainee holds a sign calling attention to the detainees at Guantanamo Bay during a demonstration outside the White House in Washington, March 11, 2016. ©AP

Russia has condemned the continued presence of a US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, which also home to a notorious military prison run by Washington.

On Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described as “odious” Washington’s refusal to return the Guantanamo Bay naval base to Cuba.

She added, however, that Moscow backs the thaw in ties between the United States and Cuba, calling on Washington to end all its sanctions against Havana.

The developments come following a historic visit by US President Barack Obama to Cuba earlier this week as the two countries move to normalize their relations.

Cuba insists that no full rapprochement is possible in ties with the US unless Washington lifts its decades-long embargo on Havana and returns the navy base at Guantanamo Bay, but none of the demands are acceptable to US Congress.

US President Barack Obama (L) and Cuban President Raul Castro shake hands during a meeting at the Revolution Palace in Havana on March 21, 2016. ©AFP

“Surely, we are closely following the course of the negotiations. Our country has welcomed the normalization of US-Cuban dialogue all along,” further said Zakharova, adding that the “process should go on an equitable basis.”

Also on Thursday, Alexander Shchetinin, the director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Latin American Department, expressed Moscow’s readiness to help accelerate the closure of the US military base on Guantanamo Bay if the need arises.

“As concerns the base [Guantanamo], this is a relic of the past. This is a matter pertaining to bilateral relations between Cuba and the US, and if this process requires international support, we will be ready to consider such support,” Shchetinin told Interfax.

Obama had pledged nearly eight years ago to close down the Guantanamo prison, but it is still functioning, Shchetinin added.

The United States severed diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1961 and placed an official embargo against the country in 1962.

The two countries became ideological foes soon after the 1959 revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power and their ties remained hostile even after the end of the Cold War.

In December 2014, Obama announced the US would normalize relations with Cuba. The two countries reopened embassies in their respective capitals in July 2015 after more than 50 years.

During his 2008 presidential election campaign, Obama had promised to shut down the Guantanamo Bay prison, citing its damage to the US reputation abroad, but he backed away from the pledge later due to stiff opposition from congressmen.

As many as 775 detainees were brought to the prison, which was set up after the September 11, 2001 attacks. There are 91 detainees left at the facility.

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