Please be seated, everybody. Thank you very, very much. Muchas gracias. Buenos dias. I'm so sorry that we are a little bit late today, but what a beautiful ride in and how wonderful to be here. And I thank you for leaving my future transportation out here in back of me. I love it. (Laughter.)
Distinguished members of the Cuban delegation – Josefina, thank you for your leadership andfor all your work of your delegation; excellencies from the diplomatic corps; my colleaguesfrom Washington, past and present; Ambassador DeLaurentis and all of the embassy staff; andfriends watching around the world, thank you for joining us at this truly historic moment as weprepare to raise the United States flag here at our embassy in Havana, symbolizing the re-establishment of diplomatic relations after 54 years. This is also the first time that a UnitedStates Secretary of State has been to Cuba since 1945. (Applause.)
This morning I feel very much at home here, and I'm grateful to those who have come to sharein this ceremony who are standing around outside of our facilities, and I feel at home herebecause this is truly a memorable occasion – a day for pushing aside old barriers and exploringnew possibilities.
And it is in that spirit that I say on behalf of my country, Los Estados Unidos acogen conbeneplacito este nuevo comienzo de su relacion con el pueblo y el Gobierno de Cuba. Sabemosque el camino hacia unas relaciones plenamente normales es largo, pero es precisamente porello que tenemos que empezar en este mismo instante. No hay nada que temer, ya que seranmuchos los beneficios de los que gozaremos cuando permitamos a nuestros ciudadanosconocerse mejor, visitarse con mas frecuencia, realizar negocios de forma habitual,intercambiar ideas y aprender los unos de los otros.
My friends, we are gathered here today because our leaders – President Obama and PresidentCastro – made a courageous decision to stop being the prisoners of history and to focus onthe opportunities of today and tomorrow. This doesn't mean that we should or will forget thepast; how could we, after all? At least for my generation, the images are indelible.
In 1959, Fidel Castro came to the United States and was greeted by enthusiastic crowds.Returning the next year for the UN General Assembly, he was embraced by then-Soviet PremierNikita Khrushchev. In 1961, the Bay of Pigs tragedy unfolded with President Kennedy acceptingresponsibility. And in October 1962, the missile crisis arose – 13 days that pushed us to thevery threshold of nuclear war. I was a student then, and I can still remember the taut faces ofour leaders, the grim map showing the movement of opposing ships, the approachingdeadline, and that peculiar word – quarantine. We were unsettled and uncertain about thefuture because we didn't know when closing our eyes at night what we would find when wewoke up.
In that frozen environment, diplomatic ties between Washington and this capital city werestrained, then stretched thin, then severed. In late 1960, the U.S. ambassador left Havana.Early the following January, Cuba demanded a big cut in the size of our diplomatic mission,and President Eisenhower then decided he had no choice but to shut the embassy down.
Most of the U.S. staff departed quickly, but a few stayed behind to hand the keys over to ourSwiss colleagues, who would serve diligently and honorably as our protecting power for morethan 50 years. I just met with the Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter, and we're grateful toSwitzerland always for their service and their help. (Applause.)