Washington also plans to make new regulations aimed to make it easier for USA citizens to pay a visit to Cuba and perform business transactions there with independent entrepreneurs.
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Following on from the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between United States and Cuba in July, a U.S. official has informed The Washington Post that a direct postal service between the two countries is set to be introduced before the end of the year.
President Obama and the new Cuban ambassador discussed bilateral relations after the ceremony and highlighted the importance of taking steps towards normalizing diplomatic relations.
Cabanas has been serving as the Chief of the Cuban Interests Section in Washington D.C. from 2012.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Jose Cabanas (C) is a senior Cuban career diplomat and has occupied various high-level posts.
Direct flights between Cuba and the U.S. would likely be possible only next year, the official noted, as sides have to finish talks on re-establishing airline routes first.
The nations had been without formal diplomatic relations since 1961, two years after the revolution that brought former president Fidel Castro to power.
Simultaneously, the U.S. Interests Section in Havana was converted to a full-fledged U.S. Embassy. And in a historic trip to Cuba in August, US Secretary of State John Kerry presided over the ceremonial opening of the U.S. Embassy in capital Havana.
The news was announced by an American official who demanded anonymity, Fox News Latino reported from The Associated Press. After over five decades of mutual hostility, a thaw in ties gained momentum following a meeting between Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro last December.
Subsequently, the United States removed Cuba from its list of “State Sponsor of Terrorism”.
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The embargo on Cuba is still in place and legislative action is required to lift it.
