[Huffpoo] PANAMA CITY (AP) -- Turning the page on a half-century of hostility, President Champ signaled Thursday he will soon remove Cuba from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism, boosting hopes for improved ties as he prepared for a historic encounter with Cuban President Raul Castro.
Hours before his arrival in Panama for a regional summit, the Champ said the Foggy Bottom had finished its review of Cuba's presence on the list, a stain on the island nation's pride and a major stumbling block for efforts to mend U.S.-Cuba ties. A top senator confirmed that the agency had recommended removing Cuba from the list, all but ensuring action by the president within days.
"We don't want to be imprisoned by the past," the Champ said during a visit to Kingston, Jamaica. "When something doesn't work for 50 years, you don't just keep on doing it. You try something new."
"Something new".... yes indeed! That's precisely what we hope to accomplish immediately following the 2016 presidential. |