US Secretary of State John Kerry will go on a historic trip to Cuba Friday to preside over the ceremonial opening of the U.S. Embassy in capital Havana.
The US had opened an embassy in Havana on July 20, when diplomatic relations between the two countries were restored and their embassies became operational.
Kerry's visit is the first by a US Secretary of State to Cuba in 70 years.
Officials from the Cuban Government and a range of U.S. Government agencies, as well as members of Congress and some U.S. and Cuban private citizens will attend the flag-raising ceremony at the embassy, a Senior State Department Official said in a special briefing Wednesday.
The Secretary plans to meet with a broad range of civil society during the visit. Later in the day, thee will be a large event at the chief of mission's residence, where a broad range of groups will be invited, the official told reporters. The invitees will include the members of the Cuban Government, Cuban Americans, Cuban artists, cultural leaders, the Diplomatic Corps, entrepreneurs, and Cuban political, human rights, and media activists.
The official said Kerry looks forward to seeing many members of Cuban civil society, including dissidents, at that event.
He added that Kerry and Cuban Foreign Minister Rodriguez are expected to continue the dialogues that have already begun under the new policy of the Obama Administration.
The official said a meeting with President Raul Castro or his predecessor and retired iconic leader Fidel Castro is not included on the Secretary's schedule.
The last visit by a US Secretary of State to Cuba was in 1945, but it was a very brief visit.
The US Government made it clear that nothing in the Secretary's events on Friday will change its support for dissidents, political actors, human rights activists and independent media in Cuba. "Nothing has changed in that regard, and nothing will, and we will always stand with peaceful political activists who are looking for opening and space and human rights in Cuba. Just as we denounced the actions that took place on Sunday and the increase in short-term detentions in Cuba, we will continue to speak out against those things and to respect and support the work of peaceful activists regardless of how many or which of the dissidents the Secretary is able to speak with on Friday," the official told reporters.
The Cuban Government had arrested some dissidents at the weekend.
Meanwhile, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark C. Toner said at a Daily Press Briefing that the US Government is not going to shy away from addressing the human rights issues in Cuba. "It remains a challenge in the relationship. But we're basing this sea change in our policy towards Cuba on the assessment that through increased diplomatic engagement we can offer more opportunity to the Cuban people, increase the amount of exchange between our two peoples, and open up the space, if you will, between our two countries," he told reporters.
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