Cuba: We're open to every part of Obama's detente

HAVANA (AP) — Cuba is open to all of U.S. President Barack Obama's moves to improve relations and strengthen private enterprise and civil society on the island, the country's head of North American affairs said today.

In Cuba's first detailed public response to Obama's historic announcement last week, Josefina Vidal told The Associated Press that Cuba welcomes "the entire package" offered by Obama. That includes U.S. equipment to improve the Cuban Internet and U.S. exports to Cuba's new class of private business owners.

"Our president has said we welcome President Obama's decision to introduce the most significant changes in relations with Cuba in 54 years," Josefina Vidal said. "That includes the entire package."

Cuba has historically imposed heavy regulations on the Internet and private business as it has blamed the U.S. embargo for many of the problems of the island's stagnant economy.

Vidal said that the U.S. has been to blame for Cuba's economic problems, which include crumbling infrastructure, low levels of foreign investment and rates of Internet access that are among the lowest in the world, and the opening is an opportunity to show what the country could do unshackled.