CUBA SET TO BE REMOVED FROM US STATE SPONSORS OF TERRORISM LIST
The US and Cuba have held their highest level diplomatic talks in over half a century.
US Secretary of State John Kerry and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez met at the Summit of the Americas in Panama.
It comes ahead of an expected meeting between US President and his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro at the event.
In relation to Cuba, US President Barack Obama has said: “I believe that engagement is a more powerful force than isolation.”
Several areas are due to be examined in relaxing relations with the island nation.
These include re-establishing diplomatic relations, an expansion of travel, and expanded sales and exports of certain goods and services from the US to Cuba.
General licenses will be made available for all authorised travelers in 12 categories – such as family visits, journalistic activity and educational activities.
Meanwhile, the US State Department is expected to recommend that Cuba be removed from its list of states that sponsor terrorism.
US President Obama says he has yet to make a decision.
“There’s a process involved in reviewing whether or not a country should be on the State Sponsor of Terrorism list – that review has been completed at the State Department, it is now forwarded to the White House, our inter-agency team will go through the entire thing and then present it to me with a recommendation” he said.
“That hasn’t happened yet” he added.
