UPDATE 2-Rubio: likelihood of negotiated agreement with Cuba 'not high'

U.S. Secretary of State Marco ​Rubio said on Thursday the chances ‌of ​a negotiated settlement with Cuba were "not high", as Washington steps up pressure on the island's communist government. Rubio said the United ‌States would prefer a diplomatic solution.

"That remains our preference with Cuba," he told reporters. "I'm just being honest with you, you know, the likelihood of that happening, given who we're dealing with ‌right now, is not high. But if they have a change of heart, you ‌know, we're here. And in the meantime, we'll keep doing what we need to do." President Donald Trump is pushing for "regime change" in Cuba, where communists have been in charge since Fidel Castro led a revolution in ⁠1959.

Cuba ​has accepted a U.S. ⁠offer of $100 million in humanitarian aid, Rubio said. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez accused Rubio of inciting military aggression ⁠and falsely labeling Cuba a state sponsor of terrorism.

"The U.S. Secretary of State lies once again ​to instigate a military aggression that would provoke the shedding of Cuban and American blood," ⁠Rodriguez said, adding that Cuba poses no security threat to the United States. The United States announced murder charges ⁠against ​former Cuban President Raul Castro on Wednesday, in a sharp escalation of tensions between the longtime Cold War rivals. Rubio rejected suggestions Washington was engaged in nation-building.

"It's not nation-building," ⁠he told reporters before leaving for a NATO ministers meeting in Sweden. "We are addressing something that's ⁠directly related to ⁠the national security of the United States."

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