Restoration of US-Cuba ties act of historical justice - Russian Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW, July 3. /TASS/. The decision to restore diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States severed in 1961 is an act of historical justice, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday. "This is a long overdue measure and the objective reflection of the changing international realities acknowledged in the world and, as we hope, in Washington," the ministry said. "We support the normalisation of US-Cuban relations," the ministry said. "We believe that Russia and Cuba have all the necessary possibilities to expand bilateral cooperation on all issues of mutual interest" The leaders of the United States and Cuba, Barack Obama and Raul Castro, announced their plans to restart diplomatic relations last December. Since then, the sides have held several rounds of talks on the re-establishment of embassies. The embassies are expected to reopen in Havana and Washington on July 20. The Russian Foreign Ministry said the move would help resolve a number of Havana's problems, including the economic embargo imposed in 1962 and the return of the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay to Cuba. Read more