WHAT: Comment & analysis on the conversion of interests sections into embassies and next steps in the U.S.-Cuba relationship.
WHEN: July 20 - ongoing
WHERE: Via telephone, in-studio, at American University
Contact: J. Paul Johnson, American University Communications 202-885-5943 or via e-mail at [email protected]
American University School of Public Affairs professor of government and expert on U.S.-Cuba bilateral relations William LeoGrande is available to discuss the formal conversion of the U.S. Interests Section and Cuban Interests Section into embassies at 12:01 am on Monday. The Cuban flag is now displayed at the State Department alongside the flags of other nations with which the United States has formal diplomatic relations. However, the U.S. flag will be raised in Havana later this summer when Secretary of State John Kerry will attend the ceremony.
Prof. LeoGrande is available to discuss today’s events and their magnitude, what comes next in the relationship, and whether Congress will lift the embargo. LeoGrande can also discuss other issues about U.S.-Cuban relations past and present.
LeoGrande is also the author of Back Channel to Cuba: The Hidden History of Negotiations Between Washington and Havana (2014).
-AU-
American University is a leader in global education, enrolling a diverse student body from throughout the United States and nearly 140 countries. Located in Washington, D.C., the university provides opportunities for academic excellence, public service, and internships in the nation’s capital and around the world.