YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, ARMENPRESS. Cuban Deputy Transport Minister Eduardo Rodriguez announced that regular commercial flights between Cuba and the United States will be restored on August 31.

"The resumption of regular direct flights is a positive step and a contribution to the process of improving relations between the two countries," “Armenpress” reports, citing Sputnik, Rodriguez said as quoted by El Nuevo Herald on Thursday.

The first direct flight, run by US airline JetBlue, is set to take off from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on August 31. It will fly to the Cuban city of Santa Clara. It will be the first direct commercial flight between the two countries since the 1960s. July 20 marked the first anniversary since the United States and Cuba reestablished full diplomatic relations by reopening embassies in their respective capitals after 54 years of hostility. The warming of relations came after US President Barack Obama announced in December 2014 that his administration would pursue a path toward normalizing relations with Cuba.