The U.S. State Department is closing in on a decision to recommend removal of Cuba from its list of countries accused of sponsoring terrorism, days before President Barack Obama attends a regional summit with his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro.

Obama ordered the review after announcing a diplomatic breakthrough with Havana on December 17th and has vowed to act quickly once he receives the recommendation, which would mark a significant move toward ending more than five decades of estrangement.

Obama leaves toqday for a trip to Jamaica and then to Panama, where he will participate in the Summit of the Americas and come face-to-face with Castro