U.S. delegation urges talks to free American jailed in Cuba

Jailed U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) contractor Alan Gross, (R), poses for a picture during a visit with Cuban Jewish Community leader Adela Dworin, (C), and David Prinstein, Vice President, at Havana's Carlos J Finlay Military Hospital September 28, 2012. REUTERS/Handout

HAVANA (Reuters) - Four U.S. lawmakers visiting Cuba on Monday urged President Barack Obama to authorise negotiations with the Cuban government about freeing jailed U.S. contractor Alan Gross.

The visiting Americans, who met with Gross in his hospital prison, also expressed hope those talks would cover other issues such as the U.S. trade embargo of Cuba and the case of three Cuban spies serving long prison terms in the United States.