Cuba and US formally restore diplomatic relations

[AMDR]

Cuba and US formally restore diplomatic relations

Cuba and the US have formally restored diplomatic relations after an agreement struck last year putting aside decades of hostility came into force.

Just after midnight on Monday, the diplomatic missions of each country became full embassies.

US Secretary of State John Kerry is due to hold talks with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez later in the day in Washington.

Despite the historic shift, both sides admit to lingering difficulties.

There were still "issues that we don't see eye to eye on", a US state department spokesman said.

Restrictions on Americans wanting to travel to Cuba remain in place, as does the wider US trade embargo banning most American companies from doing business in Cuba.

Cuba says the embargo - which it calls a blockade - is hugely damaging to its economy.

President Raul Castro has urged President Barack Obama to lift it, calling it the main stumbling block towards normalisations. But the US Congress would have to vote on the issue.

The two presidents announced the move towards diplomatic ties in December last year.

 

[Providence]

A welcome change coming at the right moment. !

 

[Gibbs]

Welcome move.. And the Thawing in relations with Iran as well.. US needs to get away from it's foreign policy of pandering to extremist elements all over the world.. Like the right wing Cuban exiles to Sunni fundamentalist theocracies and Zionists

Constructive engagement is always best

 

[AMDR]

From what I've heard there are many Cubans that are excited about the warming of relations between their country and the United States. It is truly a wonderful development after so many years of maintaining a poor relationship with a country so close to the US.

Many new economic opportunities await Cuba once the embargo is lifted!

 

[gambit]

Just one more step towards Cuba being the 54th State. Next -- Venezuela.

 

[Peaceful Civilian]

Good for peace in the region .

 

[24 Hours]

First the Iran Nuclear Deal and now this, Obama's done some pretty good stuff around the end of his term.

 

[VCheng]

A welcome change coming at the right moment. !

This just goes to show once gain that there are no permanent friends or enemies in international geopolitics.

 

[mpk1988]

Good stuff. The U.S. is finally coming out of it's stagnancy and slumber as far as international geo-politics goes.

 

[Gibbs]

Unfortunately all these may be reversed under a Hillary Clinton administration.. The state department was a hotbed of lobbyist pandering to foreign fringe groups and INGO's under her watch as the Sec of state.. So one can assume

 

[SenLin]

A good move.
Increases the US chances to bring Cuba under its influence significantly. Power of economics.
The old police failed to bring change or influence.

 

[libertad]

Good news. Putting aside his socialist domestic policies, I think Obama has done a great job on foreign policy. Restored alot of respect.

 

[[Bregs]]

wow US is scoring many diplomatic victories in its relationships first with Iran and now Cuba

 

[ArsalanKhan21]

wow US is scoring many diplomatic victories in its relationships first with Iran and now Cuba

It is more to do with Democratic party's policies while the Republican party opposes all these moves.

 

[[Bregs]]

It is more to do with Democratic party's policies while the Republican party opposes all these moves.

But one thing we must admit is that US parties i.e both democrats and Republicans see there country interest first before any party rivalry