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By Sky News US Team
US President Barack Obama will remove Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism, the White House says, as relations between the two countries continue to thaw.
He notified Congress of the long-awaited decision a week after meeting his Cuban counterpart, Raul Castro, on the sidelines of the Summit of the Americas.
The handshake in Panama was the first such formal interaction between the leaders of the former Cold War adversaries in more than a half a century.
Cuba's removal from the list will take effect within 45 days unless US lawmakers raise a joint resolution against the measure, which is deemed unlikely.
While the move will ease some economic sanctions on the communist-run island, the broader US embargo on Cuba will stay in place as only Congress can end that.
1/17
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Gallery: A History Of US-Cuba Relations In Pictures
1 January 1959: Fidel Castro's rebels - under the command of Che Guevara (R) - sweep into Havana. Dictator Fulgencio Batista, who had strong relations with the American mafia and large US corporations, flees Cuba. The US soon recognises the new government
June-October 1960: Castro announces the nationalisation of nearly all US businesses - and American-owned oil refineries, after they refuse to process Soviet oil
October 1960: Washington, under President Dwight Eisenhower, bans exports to Cuba, other than food and medicine. The US embargo begins
3 January 1961: The US ends relations with Cuba and closes its embassy in Havana
16 April 1961: Fidel Castro, pictured here with Che Guevara (R), declares Cuba a socialist state
Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, said in a statement: "We will continue to have differences with the Cuban government.
"But our concerns over a wide range of Cuba's policies and actions fall outside the criteria that is relevant to whether to rescind Cuba's designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism."
In his message to Congress, Mr Obama said the government of Cuba "has provided assurances that it will not support acts of international terrorism in the future".
The decision could pave the way towards restoring diplomatic relations between Washington and Havana, potentially reopening embassies that have been shut for 54 years.
Mr Obama ordered a review of Cuba's status on the terrorism list in December, as he and Mr Castro took steps towards rapprochement.
Havana was added to the list of terrorism sponsors in 1982, when it was aiding Marxist insurgencies in Colombia and elsewhere.
Other countries on the list include Iran, Sudan and Syria.
Ties between Washington and Havana deteriorated in 1959 when Fidel Castro and his revolutionaries seized control, forcing US-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista to flee.
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We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
By Sky News US Team
US President Barack Obama will remove Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism, the White House says, as relations between the two countries continue to thaw.
He notified Congress of the long-awaited decision a week after meeting his Cuban counterpart, Raul Castro, on the sidelines of the Summit of the Americas.
The handshake in Panama was the first such formal interaction between the leaders of the former Cold War adversaries in more than a half a century.
Cuba's removal from the list will take effect within 45 days unless US lawmakers raise a joint resolution against the measure, which is deemed unlikely.
While the move will ease some economic sanctions on the communist-run island, the broader US embargo on Cuba will stay in place as only Congress can end that.
1/17
-
Gallery: A History Of US-Cuba Relations In Pictures
1 January 1959: Fidel Castro's rebels - under the command of Che Guevara (R) - sweep into Havana. Dictator Fulgencio Batista, who had strong relations with the American mafia and large US corporations, flees Cuba. The US soon recognises the new government
June-October 1960: Castro announces the nationalisation of nearly all US businesses - and American-owned oil refineries, after they refuse to process Soviet oil
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October 1960: Washington, under President Dwight Eisenhower, bans exports to Cuba, other than food and medicine. The US embargo begins
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3 January 1961: The US ends relations with Cuba and closes its embassy in Havana
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16 April 1961: Fidel Castro, pictured here with Che Guevara (R), declares Cuba a socialist state
Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, said in a statement: "We will continue to have differences with the Cuban government.
"But our concerns over a wide range of Cuba's policies and actions fall outside the criteria that is relevant to whether to rescind Cuba's designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism."
In his message to Congress, Mr Obama said the government of Cuba "has provided assurances that it will not support acts of international terrorism in the future".
The decision could pave the way towards restoring diplomatic relations between Washington and Havana, potentially reopening embassies that have been shut for 54 years.
Mr Obama ordered a review of Cuba's status on the terrorism list in December, as he and Mr Castro took steps towards rapprochement.
Havana was added to the list of terrorism sponsors in 1982, when it was aiding Marxist insurgencies in Colombia and elsewhere.
Other countries on the list include Iran, Sudan and Syria.
Ties between Washington and Havana deteriorated in 1959 when Fidel Castro and his revolutionaries seized control, forcing US-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista to flee.
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- Hundreds Of Pearl Harbor Dead To Be Exhumed
