Cuban and US officials held talks on Friday aimed at restoring diplomatic ties, with Cuba pushing to be removed from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, reports Reuters.
The US has said that talks should focus on functioning of diplomats in future embassies, despite Cuban calls for talks to be centred on the de-listing of Cuba before restoring full diplomatic ties.
The talks, held on Friday, followed on form talks held in Havana last month and were headed by the US assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson and the chief of Cuba’s foreign ministry’s US division Josefina Vidal.
Havana says that US sanctions on banks dealing with listed countries are stopping Cuba from effectively conducting diplomatic affairs in the US.
Responding to Cuba’s demands, the US Secretary of State John Kerry said,
“It is an evaluation that is made under a very strictest of requirements, congressionally mandated, and that has to be pursued separately and it is being pursued separately.”
A senior State Department official also told reporters that the administration was nearing its review of Cuba which would be submitted to Congress to remove Cuba’s name from the estate sponsors of terrorism list.
US and Cuba commence diplomatic discussions (22 Jan 2015)
US eases embargo on Cuba (15 Jan 2015)
The US has said that talks should focus on functioning of diplomats in future embassies, despite Cuban calls for talks to be centred on the de-listing of Cuba before restoring full diplomatic ties.
The talks, held on Friday, followed on form talks held in Havana last month and were headed by the US assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson and the chief of Cuba’s foreign ministry’s US division Josefina Vidal.
Havana says that US sanctions on banks dealing with listed countries are stopping Cuba from effectively conducting diplomatic affairs in the US.
Responding to Cuba’s demands, the US Secretary of State John Kerry said,
“It is an evaluation that is made under a very strictest of requirements, congressionally mandated, and that has to be pursued separately and it is being pursued separately.”
A senior State Department official also told reporters that the administration was nearing its review of Cuba which would be submitted to Congress to remove Cuba’s name from the estate sponsors of terrorism list.
US and Cuba commence diplomatic discussions (22 Jan 2015)
US eases embargo on Cuba (15 Jan 2015)