奥巴马政府指出，美国采取孤立古巴的政策历时54年，并没有达到促进古巴繁荣、自由和民主的目标。奥巴马总统改变方针的目的在于增进两国的人文联系和企业活动。5月22日，负责西半球事务的助理国务卿罗伯特·雅格布森（Roberta Jacobson）表示，两国最近举行的一轮谈判取得很大的成果，她对恢复外交关系一事表示乐观。

雅格布森指出，“我们将坚持不懈，相信交往而不是孤立才是取得进展的关键。5个月以来，我们已经取得重要进展，大大接近恢复关系和重开使馆的目标。关系正常化是一个长期的过程，有助于我们更好地维护美国的利益，促进与古巴人民的交往。上述行动只是其中的第一个步骤。”

4月14日，奥巴马总统知会国会（Congress），他不再将古巴列为支持恐怖主义的国家，这项决定从5月29日起生效。

为了继续关系正常化的进程，国会需要修订或撤消两个法令。2000年的“贸易制裁改革和出口促进法”（Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act）限制美国旅客前往古巴。1996年的“赫尔姆斯·伯顿法”（Helms-Burton Act）以立法形式确定对古巴实施禁运，改变了此前以行政措施的方式采取的行动。



The U.S.-Cuba relationship: What’s next?

Progress has been made since December 17, 2014, when President Obama told the worldthat the United States would begin normalizing its relations with Cuba, reversing a policy in place since 1961.

The U.S. policy that isolated Cuba from the United States for 54 years failed to foster a more prosperous, free and democratic nation, the Obama administration said. Obama’s course change aims to increase human connections and entrepreneurial activity between the two nations.

Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roberta Jacobson said May 22that the latest round of talks between the two countries had been “highly productive.” She said she is optimistic that diplomatic relations will be restored.

“We will persist, inspired by the conviction that engagement and not isolation are the keys to moving forward. We have made significant progress in the last five months and are much closer to reestablishing relations and reopening embassies,” she said.

“These are the first steps in the long process of normalization that will allow us to better represent U.S. interests and increase engagement with the Cuban people,” Jacobson added.

On April 14, President Obama notified Congress that he was rescinding Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, and that decisionwent into effect May 29.

To move the process of normalization along, Congress will need to amend or repeal two laws. The 2000 Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act limits U.S. tourist travel to Cuba, and the 1996 Helms-Burton Act legislatively mandated the Cuba embargo, which had until then been an executive action.