After decades of hostility, The White House announced on Tuesday that President Obama intends to remove Cuba from the American government’s list of nations that sponsor terrorism.
The decision to remove Cuba from the list is a crucial step in President Obama’s effort to turn the page on a Cold War-era dispute.
Cuban officials have said they would find it hard to move forward with diplomatic relations while remaining on the list, which they see as a mark to their nation’s image that has blocked Cuba from doing business with American banks and led some international institutions to shy away from opportunities to work with Cuba, reported the NY Times.
Aside from market opportunities for both Cuba and The United States to profit from, the Americans and Cubans have often talked and cooperated on issues of mutual interest, like migration, counternarcotics and maritime safety.
– Hurtjohn
