US senators say Raul Castro eager to maintain US relations

HAVANA – U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy says Cuban President Raul Castro appears eager to maintain better relations with the United States and gave a group of U.S. congress members signed copies of a speech expressing his willingness to negotiate with President Donald Trump.

Leahy and four other congress members spoke Wednesday at the end of a three-day trip to Cuba. The group met with Castro Tuesday night.

The Vermont Democrat is a longtime advocate of better U.S. relations with Cuba. He says Castro expressed his desire to keep carrying out market-oriented internal reforms and improve ties with Washington.