President Barack Obama says when it comes to relations with Cuba, the United States will not be imprisoned by the past.Â
The president says he's looking for a new relationship with Cuba that's not caught up in ideological arguments. He says the Cold War is over and he's not interested in battles that started before he was born.Â
Obama spoke to assembled leaders at the Summit of the Americas ahead of a highly anticipated meeting with Cuban President Raul Castro. No meeting has been formally scheduled, but White House officials have indicated that they expect the historic get-together will take place today on the sidelines of the summit.
Obama says both he and Castro would say there will continue to be significant differences between their two countries. But he says reopening diplomatic relations allows more Americans to travel to Cuba and gives more opportunity and resource to the Cuban people. Â (AP)
