Is the U.S. Likely to Engage with Cuba on Offshore Drilling?

A delegation from the United States organized by the Environmental Defense Fund and the International Association of Drilling Contractors traveled to Cuba earlier this month to evaluate the Caribbean nation's long-term drilling plans. Cuba is expected to begin exploring its offshore reserves in November, leading some U.S. lawmakers and industry experts, in the wake of the BP gulf oil spill, to raise safety and environmental concerns. Will Cuba be able to safely regulate its oil industry? Is the United States likely to engage with the Castro government to establish contingency plans and safety precautions? What special steps should be taken to prevent spills offshore Cuba, or to mitigate their effects, in light of the historical animosity between the neighboring countries