THE seventh Summit of the Americas drew to a close in Panama City on Saturday following a historic first meeting between Cuban President Raul Castro and US President Barack Obama.

The Obama-Castro meeting lasted more than an hour and was the climax of a year-and-a-half of secret negotiations aimed at normalising relations that were broken off in 1961.

“We are now in a position to move on a path toward the future,” said President Obama, adding that the immediate task was to reopen embassies.

Saying he agreed with everything that Mr Obama had said, President Castro acknowledged that the two governments can still have differences but “with respect for the ideas of others.”

“We are willing to discuss everything, but we need to be patient, very patient,” he said.

“We already expressed to some American friends on other occasions that we are willing to talk about everything.”

Mr Castro mentioned his desire to see the end of the US trade embargo, which Mr Obama has urged the US Congress to halt.

The US president responded that he would decide whether to recommend removing Cuba from a US list of state sponsors of terrorism in the “coming days.”

But despite the distinct warming of the diplomatic climate, progressive nations attending the summit did not back away from other outstanding issues.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro urged Mr Obama to lift sanctions against his country’s officials.

“Our children and grandchildren will not be happy until the decree that interferes in the internal life of Venezuela is abolished,” he insisted.

And the Cuban president supported him, noting that President Obama had admitted that he did not really believe Caracas poses any threat to the US.

Mr Maduro’s other allies also rallied behind him.

“Our people will never again accept tutelage, meddling and intervention,” warned Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa.

In another diplomatic first, President Obama met Mr Maduro privately on Saturday.

“President Obama indicated our strong support for peaceful dialogue between the parties within Venezuela,” said US spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan.

“He reiterated that our interest is … in supporting democracy, stability and prosperity in Venezuela and the region.”

By Our Foreign Desk