The Obama administration is waiting for Cuba to make political changes in response to its lifting of curbs on travel and remittances to the communist island, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said today in Haiti.

"We stand ready to discuss with Cuba additional steps that could be taken," the secretary said, adding, "But we do expect Cuba to reciprocate." Clinton was speaking in Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital, at a press conference during which Haitian President Rene Preval said he hoped the U.S. would lift the Cuba trade embargo.

President Barack Obama told CNN's Spanish-language channel before going to Mexico today that Cuba needs to make progress in political rights and allow freer travel for Cubans. Obama had promised during his election campaign to abolish restrictions on family travel to Cuba and money transfers that were toughened by former President George W. Bush

"We would like to see Cuba open up its society, release political prisoners, open up to outside opinions and media, have the kind of society that we all know that would improve the opportunities for the Cuban people and for their nation," Clinton said.

The Obama administration on April 13 lifted limits on travel for Cuban-Americans to visit family members on the island and send them money. U.S. telecommunications companies such as AT&T Inc. will also be permitted to apply for licenses in Cuba, easing the commercial embargo against the country.

Americas Summit

Obama ordered the policy changes as he prepared to meet with Latin American leaders at a hemispheric summit this week. He took the actions amid pressure from some U.S. lawmakers, including Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat, to do more to normalize commercial trade and diplomatic relations with Cuba.

Former Cuban President Fidel Castro said his country doesn't represent a threat to U.S. security and is open to talks with its neighbor.

"We don't fear dialogue, nor do we need to invent enemies, and we don't fear debating ideas," Castro said today in a "reflection" sent via e-mail. "We believe in our convictions and with them we have defended and will continue to defend our homeland."

Cuba has never allowed a terrorist act against the U.S. to be launched from its shores, and it is a model in the fight against drug trafficking, Castro said.

Trade Embargo

The U.S. has maintained a trade embargo against Cuba since 1962, when Castro expropriated the land of U.S. citizens and companies. Cuban leaders blame the embargo for the Caribbean nation's economic and social problems.

Clinton was in Haiti to express U.S. support for its economic development plan, which includes efforts to create jobs and ease international debt. The impoverished country received new pledges of $324 million in aid from governments and organizations at a conference in Washington this week.

The Obama administration is reviewing the U.S. policy of deporting undocumented Haitians, Clinton said, adding that she is aware of the "substantial" financial help Haitians get from relatives in the U.S.

"We are looking carefully at the policy which we inherited," Clinton said, referring to the U.S. Coast Guard's orders to intercept Haitians trying to reach south Florida by boat, and the government's policy to deport Haitians found to be in the U.S. illegally.

"At the same time we don't want to encourage other Haitians to make the dangerous journey across the water," Clinton said.

By Indira A.R. Lakshmanan, Bloomberg, April 16, 2009