AVANA (Sputnik) — The US government should return the territory occupied by its naval base at Guantanamo Bay to the Cuban people regardless of how provocative the issue is back in the United States, Congressman Jim McGovern told Sputnik on Friday.
"I think that’s a controversial issue in the United States," McGovern said when asked about the status of Guantanamo Bay. "My own opinion is we should give it back to the Cubans."
Since 1903, the United States has had a lease on Cuba’s Guantanamo Bay, where the US naval base is located. Once the United States severed relations with Cuba in 1959, Havana has demanded the return of Guantanamo Bay, calling the US control of the territory illegal.
"These are the things we [the United States and Cuba] ought to be talking about directly," McGovern explained. "Our relationship shouldn’t be based on speeches on the floor of Congress or on the steps of the Capitol building."
The United States and Cuba are neighbors, McGovern added, that should work together to address disagreements on policy issues like Guantanamo.
"We [the United States and Cuba] ought to talk like grownups to one another and talk about our differences and the things we have in common," he added.
On Friday, Secretary of State John Kerry said the arrangement at Guantanamo Bay was not one of the issues under discussion between Washington and Havana.
A Cuban and US delegation met in Havana earlier on Friday to celebrate the normalization of relations between the two countries.
The United States and Cuba officially restored diplomatic ties on July 20, 2015, when they reopened embassies in Washington, DC and Havana.
McGovern also claims that the United States should eliminate all economic restrictions on Cuba immediately as opposed to taking a piecemeal approach to lifting its embargo.
"I think it should be lifted all at once," McGovern said when asked about lifting the trade embargo in stages. "Congress ought to just do the right thing, revoke the embargo [and] continue to build on our relationship."
Washington had imposed a full trade ban against Cuba in 1962. The embargo on Cuba is one of the longest standing trade embargoes in US history.
"Congress is behind American public opinion and I think right now is on the wrong side of history by not voting to lift the embargo," McGovern argued.
McGovern warned that it might take another election cycle before US lawmakers are ready and willing to lift economic restraints on Cuba. He recommended exploiting opportunities so President Barack Obama’s effort to normalize relations with the island nation is not undone by Congress or the next administration.
"We [the United States] ought to push to the limits all that we can do under the executive orders that President Obama has put on the books," McGovern added. "What limited business opportunities [in Cuba] can be pursued, we ought to do that to make sure whatever we’ve done here can’t be turned around."
"I think there will be some more regulatory changes to make it easier for Americans to travel," Flake said of immediate actions President Barack Obama could take.
Flake noted that the next step for both governments is to enter into a civil aviation agreement. President Obama could unilaterally make the arrangement, which would allow US citizens to travel directly to Cuba, as opposed to travelling only on chartered flights.
"I think that is coming," Flake said of the direct flights.
Congresswoman Karen Bass in her turn has doubts that the 114th US Congress will lift trade embargo against Cuba.
"Now it is up to Congress to lift the blockade and hopefully that will be done in the next couple of years," Bass said. "I don’t know if it will be done in this Congress though."
"After 54 years, the United States is finally doing the right thing," Bass said. "I have waited for this day for many decades, and I am very glad that this day is finally here."
The congresswoman added it will take "a couple of years" for members of Congress who oppose restoration of relations with Cuba to accept the change of the political course.
"After a certain amount of time has passed and they realize that this is a permanent change that they will take the next step and end the embargo," Bass said.
