Cuba seeks warmer ties with Mexico, report says

Cuba seeks warmer ties with Mexico, report says

* Story Highlights
* Relations between Mexico, Cuba deteriorated under ex-Mexican
leader Vicente Fox
* Both countries recalled their envoys for a brief time in 2004
* Mexican President Felipe Calderon restored full ties with Cuba in
2006
* Newspaper: Cuban President Raúl Castro wants closer relationship
with Mexico

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AP) -- A newspaper report says Cuban President Raúl
Castro wants to improve relations with Mexico.

El Sol de Mexico's Mario Vazquez Rana recently sat down with Castro in
Havana. He said in an article published Monday that the Cuban leader
told him he wants Mexico and Cuba to return to the close friendship the
two countries once shared.

Relations between Mexico and Havana deteriorated under former Mexican
President Vicente Fox, who criticized Cuba's human rights record.

Both countries recalled their ambassadors for a few months in 2004.

But President Felipe Calderon restored full relations with Cuba after
succeeding Fox in 2006.

The Mexican leader has said he wants to continue to have warmer ties
with the communist island.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/04/21/cuba.mexico.ap/