Havana, Cuba, July 1.
The US and Cuban governments announced on July 1 the official restoration of formal diplomatic ties by reopening embassies in each country.
The two countries will open embassies as of July 20. The respective US and Cuban special interest 91自拍论坛, which function as diplomatic delegations, will be upgraded to embassies, with ambassadors soon to be appointed.
In a statement released on July 1, Cuba鈥檚 foreign ministry called for the US to lift the blockade on the island, saying that normalisation of relations hinge on it.
鈥淭here can be no normal relations between Cuba and the United States as long as the economic, commercial and financial blockade that is applied rigorously continues, causing harm to the Cuban people,鈥 the statement said.
鈥(It) is the main obstacle to our economic development, a violation of international law and something that affects the interests of all countries, including the United States.鈥
In a speech that day, US President Barack Obama said the US would 鈥渇ind more ways to cooperate with Cuba鈥. The president said there are people from the US who want to travel and do business with Cuba, 鈥減eople want to get to know their neighbours to the south 鈥 this is a choice between the future and the past鈥.
He said people from the US and Cubans were 鈥渞eady to move forward鈥 and argued it was time for the US congress to 鈥渄o the same鈥 and end the blockade on Cuba, an 鈥渁pproach which hasn鈥檛 worked鈥.
[Abridged from .]
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