U.S. asks for Cuba to be removed from the list of countries that sponsor terrorism

The information was released by CNN; Barack Obama is visiting Jamaica and Panama this week.

by Joana Polónia

8 April 2015 at 05:15

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The U.S. Department of State shall recommend in a few days that the U.S. take Cuba out of the list of countries accused of financing Terrorism, according to CNN, citing an anonymous source inside the department.

The recommendation can happen as U.S. President Barack Obama visits Jamaica and Panama, where he will attend the Summit of the Americas.

Obama vowed on Tuesday to act promptly upon receiving a recommendation from the State Department about removing Cuba from the list, an obstacle that is left for the resumption of diplomatic relations between Washington and Havana.

With only a few days to go till the Summit of the Americas in Panama, where Obama will stand face to face with Cuban President Raul Castro, he gave no clear signal on its slopes or the deadline for his decision. Obama ordered the review of the list immediately after announcing a diplomatic breakthrough with Havana on December 17.

In an interview with Reuters in early March, Obama said he expected the United States to open an embassy in Cuba by the time of the Summit of the Americas, 10-11 this month, and after that U.S. officials have been saying that the review is being accelerated.

But the lack of a decision so far on the removal of Cuba from the blacklist of terrorism - a firm requirement of the Cuban government - raises serious doubts about whether the review will be completed in time for the US give further steps towards normalisation of relations before dome.

"Once I get a recommendation, I will be able to act in this regard," Obama said in an interview with National Public Radio.

The U.S. president gave no indication about the direction of his government on the issue, but made it clear that his decision not will be based on whether the Cuban government gets involved "in repressive or authoritarian activities on your own", but their current activities "on terrorism."

Cuba was included in the list of sponsors of terrorism in 1982, when it gave support to Marxist insurgent groups. Currently, the country supports the peace process between leftist guerrillas FARC and the Colombian government.

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