Cuba made official what had been rumored for weeks: It is legalizing the sale of real estate and cars and expanding the ranks of private cooperatives that could serve as engines for the sputtering economy, among other major changes.

The Communist Party's newly released economic guidelines also say the government will study the possibility of letting Cubans travel abroad as tourists, a long-time promise of Cuba's leaders that has yet to be fulfilled.

But the guidelines give few specifics, meaning islanders will have to wait to see the fine print when the strategy is eventually translated into law by Cuba's National Assembly.

The 313-point guidelines say the state ought to "establish the buying and selling of homes" for Cuban citizens. There is no mention of how the system will work, what restrictions will be imposed or what taxes might be levied — all crucial to judging the scope of the changes.

Previously, such details have been released once guidelines are enacted into law and published in the official government gazette.

The framework also says Cubans should be encouraged to form cooperatives which could function as mid-size companies with many employees, a key requirement of any vibrant economy.

The guidelines also call for legalizing the sale of cars and other vehicles. They make clear, however, that the state is not yet in a position to sell most Cubans new cars through state-owned businesses. Still, the change will be welcome by thousands of citizens hoping to trade or upgrade their aging vehicles.

The guidelines also say the state will convert many public buildings into residential property in an effort to ease severe housing shortages that mean three and sometimes four generations of the same family are squeezed into a few crumbling rooms. Even divorced couples often find it hard to relocate because of the rigid property rules. ))