Kerry trip to Cuba for rights dialogue canceled – US officials

WASHINGTON, Mar 4: Tentative plans for US Secretary of State John Kerry to visit Cuba before mid-March for a human rights dialogue have been canceled, two US officials said, amid concerns over the Cuban government’s human rights record. Kerry told a congressional hearing on February 23 that he might be in Cuba “in the next week or two” to hold a dialogue on human rights, ahead of President Barack Obama’s scheduled trip to the island later this month. State Department John Kirby said he had no updates regarding Kerry’s potential travel to Cuba. (AGENCIES)