Georgia welcomes normalisation of US-Cuba relations

Official Tbilisi welcomed the new initiative of the United States and Cuba to normalise and restore diplomatic relations.

Georgian Foreign Ministry released a special statement, stating Georgia believed that this "momentous decision” could lead to rebuilding of mutual trust and to the formation of a qualitatively new level of relations.

"It will greatly contribute to efforts to ensure peace and development across the American continents. This joint decision of the American and Cuban governments will also help to promote the interests of American and Cuban citizens alike, and will deepen people-to-people contacts,” the statement said.

"Georgia welcomes and supports all efforts to resolve long-standing disagreements through constructive and result-oriented negotiations, with respect for international law and universally recognized principles, and with due regard for the sovereignty and national interests of countries,” it read.

The statement followed US President Barack Obama’s announcement on December 17, which said that Washington’s "outdated” approach towards Cuba needed to be changed.

The changes included the release of US contractor Alan Gross and three Cubans held in the US, as well as restoring diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Cuban President Raul Castro said he welcomed the shift in a TV address and noted the changes were something Cuba had been pressing for for a long time.