PANAMA CITY — President Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro had a much-anticipated handshake at the Summit of the Americas Friday, another historic step toward defrosting five decades of icy relations between the two countries.
The handshake happened as the two leaders arrived at aPanama City convention center for the summit's opening ceremonies, mostly away from most journalists' view. But a reporter for a Venezuelan TV network posted video online showing the two greeting each other comfortably with multiple handshakes and small talk, while U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez looked on.
The handshake was the latest of a series of clear steps the past few days signaling the two countries are continuing on their path toward normalizing relations, including opening embassies in both countries.
The White House said the interaction was informal and said they didn't engage in substantive conversation. The two men are expected to meet for substantial talks Saturday, just days after the pair spoke by phone to pave the way for more meaningful discourse here. "We don't have a formal meeting scheduled at a certain time, but we anticipate they will have a discussion tomorrow," Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said Friday.
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