The US and Cuba on Tuesday announced that they have formally re-established diplomatic relations after 54-year freeze and would reopen embassies in their respective capitals from July 20, a major step towards normalisation of ties between the Cold War foes.
“More than 54 years ago, at the height of the Cold War, the United States closed its embassy in Havana. Today, I can announce that the United States has agreed to formally reestablish diplomatic relations with the Republic of Cuba and reopen embassies in our respective countries,” US President Barack Obama said in the Rose Garden of the White House.
“This is a historic step forward in our efforts to normalise relations with the Cuban government and people, and begin a new chapter with our neighbors in the Americas,” he said in his statement to the press, with Vice President Joe Biden standing by his side.
Last December Obama and his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro had agreed to restore long-broken ties between their two countries.
According to reports from Havana, the Cuban foreign ministry said it “confirms the decision to restore diplomatic relations between the two countries and open permanent diplomatic missions in their respective capitals, from July 20.” The US’ top diplomat Jeffrey DeLaurentis delivered a letter from the White House about restoring the embassies to Cuba’s foreign ministry in Havana today.
It is the latest major milestone in a thawing process between the two countries’ relations, which started with secret negotiations and was announced last December.
Both countries are currently represented by interests sections, and <g data-gr-id="31">US</g> and Cuban diplomats are not allowed to go out of Havana and Washington without official <g data-gr-id="28">authorisation</g> from the host countries.
In a major breakthrough in late May, the US had removed Cuba from a blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism.
Plans to resume ferry and air services between the US and Cuba were announced recently.
The US broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1959 after Fidel Castro and his brother Raul led a revolution toppling US-backed President Fulgencio Batista.
The Castros established a revolutionary socialist state with close ties to the Soviet Union.