"I hope the relations with the United States to advance based on the lifting of the US economic blockade and the devolution of the territory illegally occupied in Guantanamo," Rodríguez told journalists at the Havana Convention Center.

"Year 2015 has been significant for Cuba's foreign policy. The speech given by President Raúl Castro in Panama made the Revolution's foreign policy, the same in 60 years of struggle, shine," said Rodríguez at the end of his speech in the Foreign Relations Commission of Parliament.

He said this has been a year of harvest when "Latin America and the Caribbean continued the struggle against the ounslaught from US imperialism and the oligarchies."

He added that this year also witnessed the continuation of the defense of revolutionary processes like that in the sister nation of Venezuela and other countries like Ecuador, Bolivia and Nicaragua, as well as the progressive processes in the Caribbean, and Cuba's bilateral links were broadened, establishing diplomatic relations with two islands in the Pacific Ocean.

"There is evidence that the world understands that though dialog and cooperation with the United States advances, in essence the US economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba remains intact, and international mobilization is needed for it to be lifted," he said.

This has been a fruitful year, thanks to our people and at the same time to enormous efforts and our people's involvement in a struggle worldwide in defense of Cuban Socialism, of our ideas, and I'm certain that 2016 will be a year of victories, too," stated Cuba's top diplomat.

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