(AFP). WASHINGTON — New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who visited Cuba last month, said Wednesday US-Cuban relations were in a "positive phase" after goodwill gestures from both sides. "US-Cuba relations are heading into a positive phase. I see changes," Richardson told a Washington think-tank after heading a trade mission to Havana, during which he also discussed the case of US contractor Alan Gross, held in Cuba since December.">(AFP). WASHINGTON — New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who visited Cuba last month, said Wednesday US-Cuban relations were in a "positive phase" after goodwill gestures from both sides. "US-Cuba relations are heading into a positive phase. I see changes," Richardson told a Washington think-tank after heading a trade mission to Havana, during which he also discussed the case of US contractor Alan Gross, held in Cuba since December.">

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US-Cuba relations in 'positive phase:' US governor

(AFP). WASHINGTON — New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who visited Cuba last month, said Wednesday US-Cuban relations were in a "positive phase" after goodwill gestures from both sides.

"US-Cuba relations are heading into a positive phase. I see changes," Richardson told a Washington think-tank after heading a trade mission to Havana, during which he also discussed the case of US contractor Alan Gross, held in Cuba since December.

Upon his return from Cuba, Richardson told reporters that progress had been made in Gross's case and that he sensed "a better mood, a better atmosphere" between Cuba and the United States.

In July, Cuba agreed to release the remaining 52 of 75 dissidents who were arrested in a March 2003.

"These are steps that are good. More needs to happen," Richardson said, urging for the United States to acknowledge the advances Cuba has made so far.

A former congressman who served as UN ambassador and energy secretary under president Bill Clinton, Richardson said US President Barack Obama was considering lifting some travel restrictions to Cuba for US citizens.

"More scholars, more sport figures, religious leaders, traveling back and forth is going to be important in opening the relations" with Cuba, added Richardson, who is Mexican-American.

Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Arturo Valenzuela, said he also welcomed the direction Cuba was taking, but cautioned: "these steps are clearly not enough... to normalize relations."

"We are looking forward, hopefully, to additional releases of prisoners as things go," he added.

"The policy of the Obama administration is we need more engagement with Cuba rather than less engagement," Valenzuela said.

The United States and Cuba have not had formal diplomatic ties since 1961, though Washington is represented by a US interest section in Havana.

Since he took office in January 2009, Obama has eased travel and remittance restrictions on Cuba imposed by his predecessor George W. Bush, and resumed migration talks and direct postal service with the island.

Source: AFP

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