Cuban President Raul Castro said Wednesday that the U.S. must return the military base at Guantanamo Bay before the two nations can move forward with renewing relations.

Speaking to a summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, Castro said that the two countries needed to resolve longstanding issues including the U.S. lifting a 50-year-old trade embargo on Cuba as well as compensating the nation for damages.

President Obama has eased the trade embargo with measures designed to improve economic ties with Cuba. While Castro acknowledged he is working with Obama on negotiations, he said, "if these problems aren't resolved, this diplomatic rapprochement wouldn't make any sense."

Castro added that while diplomatic ties may be restored between Cuba and the U.S., normal relations depend on concessions such as ending the transmission of anti-Castro radio and televesion broadcasts and giving "just compensation to our people for the human and economic damage" that they suffered.

The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his speech.