• Submitted by: Juana
• Guantánamo
• United States
• Politics and Government
• 07 / 28 / 2015

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The opening of the embassy and the act of raising the Cuban flag in the United States last July 20 did not mark any particular change in the operation of the Guantanamo Naval Base, the oldest US military enclave outside its mainland. The assertion was made by Kelly Wirfel, public affairs officer of the base, to the militarytimes.com publication.
"There is no impact on the base at this point. We continue to execute our mission here," Kelly said, adding that discussions for the normalization of relations are all at a much higher level than what is happening in Guantanamo Bay.
Havana has repeatedly requested the return of the Guantanamo base. Wirfel said the issue of the return of the base in Cuba has not been addressed in any way with the commander of the base, Captain David Culpepper.
At the meeting last Monday between Secretary of State John Kerry and his counterpart, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, the latter reiterated the call for the "return of the territory illegally occupied in Guantanamo, full respect for the sovereignty and compensation of our Cuban people." But Kerry said to the press that "At this time, no discussion and intent on our part ... to alter the existing lease agreement or other agreements regarding Naval Station in Cuba," he said.

source: www.cibercuba.com