Raúl Castro and Barack Obama Speak at UN Headquarters. Picture: Cubadebate

The presidents of Cuba and the United States, Raúl Castro and Barack Obama, respectively, met on September 29 at the UN headquarters, where they participate in high-level meetings.

This is the second meeting officially held between the two heads of state, after coinciding during the Summit of the Americas in Panama in April, ACN reported on September 29.

Previously, on Monday night, Raúl and Obama greeted each other and spoke briefly at the reception offered by the U.S. president to the Heads of State and Government taking part in the debates at the UN, which will end on October 3.

It is expected that the two leaders will soon tackle, in a private meeting, issues related to the process of normalization of relations between the two nations, which began on December 17, 2014.

In this regard, the Cuban president reiterated in his speech at the UN that the end of the economic, commercial and financial blockade is an essential premise for progress towards normalization, as well as the return of the territory illegally occupied by the Guantánamo Naval Base, and the cessation of subversive broadcasts against Cuba.

Obama, for his part, admitted that the siege has no place and insisted on his expectations that the U.S. Congress puts an end to it.