Obama hopes for U.S. embassy in Cuba before April summit in Panama

U.S. President Barack Obama (R) speaks during an exclusive interview with White House Correspondent Jeff Mason in the Library of the White House in Washington March 2, 2015. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said on Monday he hopes the United States will open an embassy in Cuba by the time of a Western Hemisphere summit in Panama in mid-April.

In an interview with Reuters, Obama also cautioned that it will take more time to fully establish normal relations with Cuba after more than a half-century rupture.