U.S. Removes Cuba From Terror List

The United States on Friday removed Cuba from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.

President Barack Obama announced a thaw in the hitherto frosty relationship with Cuba in December, paving the way for an improvement in diplomatic ties between both countries. However, trade embargo against Cuba remain in force and may only be ended by Congress.

Last week, diplomats met in Washington, but failed to come to an agreement on opening embassies.

The decision follows a formal review process but the timing is political. Cuba’s designation was a holdover from the Cold War when it supported leftist guerrilla movements in Latin America.

Congress has refused Obama’s request to lift the longstanding embargo. So there will be little impact on economic ties with America, although Washington’s decision to “rehabilitate” Cuba does remove barriers to international financing, a BBC report said.

This process is technically separate from that of re-establishing diplomatic relations but the Cubans linked the two, and an announcement on re-opening embassies is now expected in the coming weeks, with more efforts towards normalising relations between two countries with a complex history and radically different political systems and worldviews.