WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Cuba's decision to release 52 political prisoners is overdue but still a positive sign from the island's government, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday.

"We were encouraged by the apparent agreement between the Roman Catholic Church and the authorities in Cuba for the release of 52 political prisoners," Clinton told reporters after a meeting with Jordan's visiting foreign minister.

"We think that's a positive sign. It's something that is overdue but nevertheless very welcome."

Cuba's Catholic Church said on Wednesday that Havana had agreed to the release, which appeared to be a major concession.

The church said five of the prisoners would be freed on Wednesday and allowed to go to Spain, while the remaining 47 would be released over the next few months.

Clinton said she spoke on Wednesday to Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, who was in Havana and took part in talks involving church officials and the government.

But she did not directly address a question on whether the reported prisoner release would influence the Obama administration's decision on whether to end the 48-year-old U.S. economic embargo on Cuba.

President Barack Obama has made modest efforts to improve relations with Cuba, including a slight easing of the embargo, and has said there would be further progress when the island released political prisoners.

Another factor complicating U.S.-Cuba relations is Cuba's detention of U.S. contractor Alan Gross, who has been jailed in Havana since December on suspicion of espionage activities.

U.S. officials, who say Gross is not a spy and was only providing Internet access to Jewish groups, maintain there will be no significant improvement in relations until he is freed.