HAVANA – The leader of Cuba’s National Assembly said Thursday that U.S. President Barack Obama has softened Washington’s “language” toward the island but that its decades-old economic embargo remains as much intact as on his first day in office, the official Prensa Latina news agency reported.

Ricardo Alarcon said the 47-year-old embargo “remains in force” even though there have been some minor changes since Obama was inaugurated in January.

Speaking at the opening of a meeting of the Latin American Parliament in Havana, the parliamentary speaker noted that the United Nations’ General Assembly once again will denounce the embargo this month, as it has every year since 1992.

Since winning the White House, Obama has sought to improve bilateral relations by lifting the restrictions that his predecessor, George W. Bush, had imposed on Cuban Americans’ travel and remittances to the island.

The measures, implemented last month, were touted as an attempt to improve links between the two countries but Cuba says they have been insufficient.

Washington and Havana in July also resumed bilateral talks on immigration that had been suspended in 2003.

Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said the measures have been focused on slowing Cuban emigration and rectifying Bush’s “brutal” policies but do not represent real change in Washington’s policy toward the communist-ruled island.

In recent days, a senior U.S. diplomat traveled to Cuba and held talks with high-ranking Cuban officials and prominent dissidents.

The State Department said Bisa Williams, deputy assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere Affairs, held talks on re-establishing direct mail service with the island and visited an agricultural facility and areas ravished by hurricanes.

Obama has said he will not consider lifting the embargo unless Cuba frees political prisoners and undertakes democratic reforms. EFE