Cuba removed from US terror list

Cuba removed from US terror list
BY MATTHEW LEE
AP Diplomatic Writer

The Obama administration on Friday formally removed Cuba from a U.S.
terrorism blacklist as part of the process of normalizing relations
between the Cold War foes.

Secretary of State John Kerry signed off on rescinding Cuba's "state
sponsor of terrorism" designation exactly 45 days after the Obama
administration informed Congress of its intent to do so on April 14.
Lawmakers had that amount of time to weigh in and try to block the move,
but did not do so.

"The 45-day congressional pre-notification period has expired, and the
secretary of state has made the final decision to rescind Cuba's
designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, effective today, May 29,
2015," the State Department said in a statement.

"While the United States has significant concerns and disagreements with
a wide range of Cuba's policies and actions, these fall outside the
criteria relevant to the rescission of a state sponsor of terrorism
designation," the statement said.

The step comes as officials from the two countries continue to hash out
details of restoring full diplomatic relations, including opening
embassies in Washington and Havana and returning ambassadors to the two
countries for the first time since the U.S. severed diplomatic relations
with the island in January 1961. The removal of Cuba from the terrorism
list had been a key Cuban demand.

U.S. and Cuban officials have said the two sides are close to resolving
the final issues but the most recent round of talks ended last Friday
with no announcement of an agreement.

Even as many of the biggest hurdles, including the terrorism
designation, have been cleared, Washington and Havana are still
wrangling over American demands that its diplomats be able to travel
throughout Cuba and meet with dissidents without restrictions. The
Cubans are wary of activity they see as destabilizing to their government.

Both the U.S. and Cuba say the embassies are a first step in a larger
process of normalizing relations. That effort would still have to tackle
bigger questions such as the embargo, which only Congress can fully
revoke, as well as the future of the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo
Bay and Cuba's democracy record.

Source: Cuba removed from US terror list | Miami Herald Miami Herald -
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article22602078.html