The two heads of state spoke at the Palacio de la Revolucion on various issues of common interest and then offered statements to the press covering the official visit of Obama to the island, which began on Sunday.

The Chinese news agency Xinhua highlighted that Raul Castro and Barack Obama expressed their willingness to move forward with the process of normalization of bilateral relations on the basis of respect and national sovereignty.

It also he notes that Raul insisted on the need to end the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed on Cuba by the northern nation since 1962, in force despite the reestablishment of diplomatic ties on July 20.

Obama acknowledged that "what we did for over half a century was not good for the United States or Cuba," and said that the blockade "must end," a decision that is in the hands of the U.S. Congress, of Republican majority, added Xinhua.

Cuba's future will be decided by Cubans, not by the U.S. or any other country, reads the headlines of the report by the Spanish agency EFE, adding that the U.S. president asserted that "after five decades of difficult relations, Cuba and the United States still have serious differences, as is the case of human rights and democracy, issues on which we have maintained very frank and sincere talks."

Meanwhile, the Prensa Latina news agency pointed out that the U.S. president reiterated on Monday his hope that Congress will approve amendments to the implementation of Washington’s blockade against Cuba, before the end of his term of office.

A note by the Spanish agency EFE reports that Raul asked a journalist to  submit a list of political prisoners in Cuba and assured her that if they really existed they would be free that same night."Give me the list of political prisoners right now to release them."

Castro said while answering a question on the matter during the press conference he gave in Havana along with President Barack Obama. AFP also spoke about this subject.

The Venezuelan news agency AVN emphasized Raul’s words when he said that the Cuban people will not relinquish the destiny they have chosen in a free and sovereign way, and stressed that respect for Cuba’s self-determination is one of the fundamental and unshakeable foundations that should, without cracks, mark discussions for the normalization of bilateral relations with the United States.

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