Plan to drop Cuba from terror list welcomed

China applauds Obama's move, saying it is in interest of region's peace, stability and growth

US President Barack Obama's move on Tuesday to drop Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism was "fair", the Foreign Ministry in Havana said.

"The government of Cuba acknowledges the fair decision of the president of the United States to take Cuba off a list on which it should never have been included," said a statement signed by Cuba's top official for relations with Washington.

"As the Cuban government has reiterated on numerous occasions, Cuba rejects and condemns all acts of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, as well as any action meant to instigate, support, finance or conceal terrorist acts," added the Foreign Ministry statement, which was read out on Cuban television.

Cuba "has been the victim of hundreds of terrorist acts", it added.

Obama notified Congress on Tuesday of his "intent to rescind" Cuba's inclusion on the blacklist, after a lengthy review launched late last year as Washington openly began a rapprochement with its Cold War foe.

Obama and his Cuban counterpart, Raul Castro, announced in December a thaw in relations, following more than five decades of enmity.

Obama had instructed Secretary of State John Kerry to review Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

"After a careful review of Cuba's record, which was informed by the intelligence community, as well as assurances provided by the Cuban government, the secretary of state concluded that Cuba met the conditions for rescinding its designation as a state sponsor of terrorism," the White House said in a statement.

Congress will have 45 days to review Obama's decision, but lawmakers are unlikely to block the move.

Obama's decision came days after he and Castro held talks on the sidelines of the Summit of the Americas in Panama, the first meeting between a Cuban and US president in half a century.

"We will continue to have differences with the Cuban government, but our concerns over a wide range of Cuba's policies and actions fall outside the criteria that is relevant to whether to rescind Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said in the statement.

China spoke positively of Obama's decision to remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.

"We have noticed the report," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said on Wednesday, adding China welcomes and supports the two countries' positive engagement and efforts to promote normalization of their relations.

It is in the interest of both countries and peoples, as well as the peace, stability and development of the region, he said.

Cuba has been on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism since 1982.

AFP - Xinhua - Reuters