I don’t know about this, but apparently, President Barak Obama does. The U.S. State Department announced that Cuba had been removed from the blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism – a list the currently has Syria, Iran and Sudan on it – in accordance with a request from the President on April 14. The request included “the certification that Cuba has not provided any support for international terrorism during the previous six-months; and that Cuba has provided assurances that it will not support acts of international terrorism in the future,” according to a State Department in a released statement.

Cuba has made it a priority that they be removed off of the list, calling their presence on the list “unfound”. Leaders from both the U.S. and Cuba have continuously met up “to negotiate the details of restoring diplomatic relations, including the opening of embassies in Washington and Havana,” according to the BBC. The Caribbean island now has the ability to conduct banking in the United States, among other activities.

Hit the jump for more.

JaaiR (JR)
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The BBC’s State Department Correspondent Barbara Plett Usher says the removal will give Cuba greater access to sources of international financing that were previously denied.

“The United States has significant concerns and disagreements with a wide range of Cuba’s policies and actions,” the State Department said. But those concerns, it said “fall outside the criteria relevant to the rescission of a State Sponsor of Terrorism designation”. WHOA!

Check out the full statement in the gallery above.