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By Eric Bradner, CNN

updated 7:47 PM EST, Wed December 17, 2014

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton lauded President Barack Obama's moves to ease diplomatic strains with Cuba on Wednesday.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Washington (CNN) -- Hillary Clinton backed President Barack Obama's historic easing of decades-old sanctions against Cuba on Wednesday and said she is "deeply relieved" by the release of U.S. contractor Alan Gross.

Clinton, who was secretary of state when Gross was arrested in 2009, backed Obama in a statement Wednesday night that was in stark contrast with her Republican counterparts in the field of potential 2016 presidential contenders.

READ: Cuba releases American Alan Gross

"I support President Obama's decision to change course on Cuba policy, while keeping the focus on our principal objective -- supporting the aspirations of the Cuban people for freedom," Clinton said in a statement.

She called Gross's release "great news," and noted that as secretary of state, she pushed for his release, stayed in contact with Gross's family and "called for a new direction in Cuba."

"Despite good intentions, our decades-long policy of isolation has only strengthened the Castro regime's grip on power," Clinton said.

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Clinton backs Obama's Cuba moves