HAVANA, Cuba. – On Tuesday 26 September, 2017, on the proposal of the Cuban side, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, was received by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, at the State Department.

The meeting was developed in a respectful climate.

Rodriguez Parrilla reiterated to Tillerson the condolences of the Cuban people and Government for the damage caused by hurricanes Harvey and Irma in the U.S. and thanked him for the condolences expressed by the State Department for the affections caused to Cuba by Hurricane Irma.

The main purpose of the meeting was to address the issue of the incidents reported by U.S. diplomats accredited in Havana.

The Cuban Chancellor reiterated the seriousness, celerity and professionalism that the Cuban authorities have taken on this issue. At the highest level of the Cuban Government, a priority investigation was initiated from the moment the facts were reported and additional measures were taken to protect American diplomats and their families.

This has been recognized by the representatives of the American specialized agencies that have traveled to Cuba from last June, whose visits have been valued positively by the Cuban counterparts.

The Cuban Chancellor reaffirmed to Secretary Tillerson the importance of the US authorities effectively cooperating with the Cuban authorities for the clarification of facts with no precedents in Cuba.

Rodriguez Parrilla reaffirmed that the U.S. government’s decision to withdraw two Cuban diplomats from Washington and the argument used to do so was unjustified, and emphasized that Cuba rigorously complies with its obligations to the Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Integrity of diplomats, in which it has an impeccable record.

The Cuban Minister reiterated the Cuban Government had never perpetrated or will perpetrate attacks of any nature against diplomats. It has also not allowed or will allow its territory to be used by third parties for this purpose.

He also transmitted to the Secretary of State that according to the preliminary results obtained by the Cuban authorities in their investigation, which has taken into account data provided by the U.S. authorities, so far there is no evidence of the causes and origin of the health conditions reported by American diplomats.

The Chancellor assured that the investigation to clarify this matter is ongoing and Cuba has great interest in concluding it, for which it is imperative to have the efficient cooperation of the American authorities. He added it would be regrettable if a matter of this nature were politicized and that hasty and unsupported decisions were made in evidence and conclusive investigative results.

On the other hand, the Cuban Foreign Minister confirmed Cuba’s willingness to continue the bilateral dialogue on issues of common interest, on the basis of respect and sovereign equality, despite the profound differences between the two countries.

Taken from Cubaminrex