By M. Bilal Kenasari
WASHINGTON
U.S. and Cuban officials said there was "good progress" after a second round of talks between the two countries were held at the State Department on Friday.
The talks in Washington followed a first round of negotiations in Havana last month after President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro made a surprise announcement in December that the two sides would work to restore diplomatic relations after more than 50 years of hostilities.
The talks were headed by Roberta Jacobson, U.S. assistant secretary of state, and Josefina Vidal, chief of the Cuban foreign ministry's U.S. division.
While Washington wants its embassy to be reopened in time for April's summit of North and South American leaders which will held in Panama, Cuba hopes to be first removed from a U.S. terrorism list, which prevents those listed from access to U.S. banking and business.
"Serious disagreement between our governments remain, I am pleased to report today we saw the type of constructive exchange that advances us towards more productive diplomatic relationship," Jacobson said following the meeting.
Vidal said removing Cuba from the terror list was a "priority" for the future progress of both countries.
Jacobson said the U.S. viewed the issues as “important."
Secretary of State John Kerry said earlier Friday that diplomatic relations should not be tied to the issue of the terrorism list, which is still under review.
"It is an evaluation that is made under a very strict set of requirements, congressionally mandated, and that has to be pursued separately, and it is being pursued separately," Kerry said. He added that "nothing will be done with respect to the list until the evaluation is completed.”
In a show of good faith about diplomatic relations, the U.S. and Cuba swapped prisoners in Decemeber, which included the release of American Alan Gross, 65, from a Cuban prison, where he was held for five years.
Obama spoke with Raul Castro for more than 45 minutes during the day before Gross’ release. It was the first such call between the two countries since 1961.
