US President Obama to visit Cuba, the first visit by a sitting president in 80 years

Baku. 18 February. REPORT.AZ/ United States President Barack Obama will make a historic visit to Cuba in the coming weeks, in a powerful sign of the thaw in relations between the Cold War-era foes. 

Report informs citing the foreign media, a US official and news reports said on February 17.

"We can confirm that tomorrow the administration will announce the president's travel to Latin America, including Cuba, in the coming weeks," said the official.

ABC News, citing unnamed sources, reported that the visit would be the first for a sitting US president in more than 80 years.

CNN said the trip was to be formally announced on Thursday, citing one source as saying the anticipated visit to the communist-ruled island would be short.

The trip is planned for March 21 to March 22, before the president flies to Argentina, ABC reported.

It would be the first visit to Cuba by a US president while in office since a 1928 visit by Calvin Coolidge, it said.

Jimmy Carter visited Cuba in 2002 - two decades after leaving office.

The two Cold War foes restored diplomatic relations in July after a historic rapprochement between Mr Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro the previous December.