US legislators in Cuba talks

(Vatican Radio) US Legislators who visited Cuba for talks with President Raul Castro, are back home without jailed compatriot Alan Gross. The seven strong delegation led by Senator Patrick Leahy, met with senior Cuban officials and President Raul Castro, discussing how relations, fractured more than half a century ago, can be healed.
Like other high profile visitors including former President Jimmy Carter and New Mexico Governor Bill Ricardson, they came and left without Alan Gross. Sixty three year old Gross was convicted by Cuban Authorties of bringing in internet communications equipment for the Island's Jewish community, as part of a USAID program.

A Cuban court ruled this was illegal, and he's now serving a a 15 year jail term. Cuba wants five of its agents freed from US jails, and the other constraints of the US legal system.

Senator Leahy, who's visited Cuba before to push this issue, confirmed a meeting with Gross this time, predicting that: "I hope the day will come soon when he can be home."

Alan Gross who's lost an enormous amount of weight since being jailed in 2009, is being held at a military hospital. Listen to James Blears report