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           Obama, Castro to Address Progress, Disagreements in Havana

   by Mary Alice Salinas

   U.S. President Barack Obama is meeting in Havana with Cuban President
   Raul Castro. The two leaders are expected to discuss ways to advance
   normalization and also areas of disagreement, such as human rights.

   President Obama began the second day of his three-day visit with a
   wreath-laying ceremony at the monument of the Cuban independence hero
   Jose Marti at the Plaza of the Revolution.

   He will then hold talks with Castro at the nearby Revolutionary Palace,
   one day after making history as the first sitting U.S. president in
   nearly 90 years to visit the island nation.

   ''Throughout Havana on Sunday, people lined the streets as the U.S.
   president's motorcade rolled by, with crowds waving, cheering, blowing
   kisses and chanting Obama's name.

   Meetings with Cubans

   The U.S. president is scheduled to meet with a range of people in Cuba,
   from government leaders, to young people, entrepreneurs, members of
   civil society and dissidents, something White house officials say the
   Cuban government is not pleased about.

   On Sunday, dozens of members of the Ladies in White opposition group
   and some dissident supporters were arrested during their weekly march
   at the Parque Gandhi or Gandhi Park.

   Most of them were released hours later, leader Berta Soler, told VOA on
   Monday.

   Soler said the whereabouts of roughly 10 activists were still not
   known. The group plans more protests during Obama's visit.

   Talks between Obama and Castro on Monday will include discussions about
   how to further the process of normalization, improve the lives of the
   Cuban people, open up more opportunities for engagement, and seize more
   opportunities on areas of mutual interest, said deputy National
   Security Advisor Ben Rhodes.

   Trade embargo

   Castro is expected to call for action to lift a 55-year embargo on the
   communist country.

   The Republican-controlled Congress can lift the embargo, but there is
   disagreement about Obama's policy shift from isolation to engagement
   with Cuba.

   ''To push the new U.S. policy beyond Obama's final year in office, the
   president needs bipartisan support. Obama invited a large delegation of
   both Republican and Democratic lawmakers who are also in Havana.

   After their bilateral meeting, Obama and Castro are expected to address
   the media.

   Obama will then attend events focused on entrepreneurship with a series
   of sessions that will include Cuban Americans and Cuban entrepreneurs
   who will discuss changes both governments can make encourage more
   commercial ties and engagement.

   Since the two countries formally restored diplomatic ties in July, the
   U.S. has loosened travel and commercial restrictions, allowing more
   people-to-people contact between the U.S. and Cuba.

   State dinner

   Obama is to attend a state dinner late Monday at the Revolutionary
   Palace.

   But the highlight of the trip, according to the White House, will be an
   address he will deliver to the Cuban people on Tuesday.

   He is expected to speak about the difficult and complicated history
   between the two nations, the current course to normalize relations and
   his vision for future relations between the former Cold War enemies.

   Victoria Macchi contributed to this report.
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References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-castro-to-address-progress-disagreements-in-havana/3247359.html