Obama to Announce Support for Removing Cuba From Terror List, Sources Say

[Purveyor]

Source: NBC News

President Barack Obama is expected to announce that he is accepting a recommendation from the State Department to take Cuba off the State Sponsors of Terror list, sources told NBC News.

The announcement, which could come as soon as Thursday, is timed to remove a major obstacle toward normalization of relations with Cuba, just as Obama is set to meet Cuban President Raul Castro on the sidelines of a Latin American summit in Panama on Friday and Saturday.

Cuba was added to the terror list on March 1, 1982. Sudan, Syria and Iran are also considered sponsors of terrorism.

The President, who arrived in Jamaica Wednesday night, will travel to Panama City Thursday evening. Obama and Raul Castro spoke last December by phone but have not had substantive conversations in person. They met briefly in passing when both attended Nelson Mandela's funeral in December 2013.

Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/u-s-cuba-relations/obama-announce-support-removing-cuba-terror-list-sources-say-n338206

---

Obama And Raul Castro To Break Cold War Ice In Person

AFP | Apr 9, 2015, 07.36 AM IST

PANAMA CITY: US President Barack Obama and Cuba's Raul Castro will have a historic face-to-face encounter at the Summit of the Americas this week, breaking the ice after decades of glacial relations.

The image of US and Cuban presidents sitting across from each other at the 35-nation summit for the first time after decades of cold war-era animosity will be the highlight of the gathering in Panama on Friday and Saturday.

While the meeting will mark a major milestone — no Cuban leader has attended a Summit of the Americas — the two sides have yet to reopen embassies and lingering differences have been evident at negotiations that started in January.

Cuba's inclusion on a list of state sponsors of terrorism has been a major sticking point in negotiations to restore full diplomatic ties, which were downgraded back in 1961.

The White House indicated this week that the state department was in the "final stages" of deciding whether to recommend Havana's removal from the list. Congress would then have 45 days to decide whether to override Obama's decision.

more...

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Obama-and-Raul-Castro-to-break-cold-war-ice-in-person/articleshow/46858482.cms

[Rolando]

1. Cuba in our time

It's long overdue. Our dealings with Cuba follow a well-recognized pattern.

[F4lconF16]

2. Good.

Now it's time to add Venezuela, the commies!

[Hekate]

3. Mighty busy for a lame duck president, isn't he? Seems to be a liberating experience for Obama!

I've been expecting him to do this for awhile, and I am really pleased that normalization of relations with Cuba is in the works. It should have been done several presidents ago, but I'm glad it's being done by this one.