Despite many differences, the United States and Cuba made positive steps toward establishing embassies

Despite many differences, the United States and Cuba made positive steps
toward establishing embassies
BY MIMI WHITEFIELD MWHITEFIELD@MIAMIHERALD.COM
01/22/2015 7:00 AM 01/22/2015 9:26 PM

The United States and Cuba held historic normalization talks Thursday
aimed at erasing more than five decades of corrosive relations, but
there were no major breakthroughs and the two delegations remained apart
on some key issues such as human rights.

Behind closed doors, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western
Hemisphere Affairs Roberta Jacobson and Josefina Vidal Ferreiro, the
Cuban Ministry of Foreign Relations' top North American specialist, led
their delegations in talks to reestablish diplomatic ties between the
two nations.

The morning talks were more symbolic than eventful — they discussed
measures such as staffing levels and other details of the operations of
their prospective new embassies. Vidal said the two countries had
developed a list of diplomatic formalities necessary before the
embassies could open.

Still, a news conference after the morning session made it clear that
there were quite a few differences that must be resolved before flags
are flying over respective embassies.

Jacobson, for example, said she brought up human rights, which the
United States has said will remain central to its discussions with Cuba.
"I did discuss that issue today; it was part of my conversation," she said.

Source: Despite many differences, the United States and Cuba made
positive steps toward establishing embassies | The Miami Herald The
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