Josefina Vidal: Many Opportunities for Cooperation between Cuba and USA

Cuba and the United States have many opportunities to profit mutually from, a scenario ratified by the approach they have had in recent years and meetings to come between experts, said Cuban diplomat, Josefina Vidal.

According to Director General for the United States at the Cuban Foreign Ministry, the geographic proximity and the vision in some issues linked to national security, allow us to be convinced about the possibilities of jointly discussing diverse issues.

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In statements made to Cuban journalists who covered the eve in this capital the second round of talks to re-establish diplomatic links, Vidal mentioned the science, services, security, migration issues, information and technology as areas with potentiality.

We can work in order to solve all that is necessary to resume relations and open embassies -topic that focuses the talks-, and at the same time, to move forward in aspects of mutual interest, she said in response to Prensa Latina.

See here the statment issued by the Cuban delegation to the rounds of talks in Washington

The official who headed the island’s delegation to the talks said there are topics in which we have experience, among them the migration issue, postal mail, traffic of persons and prevention and response to offshore oil spills, as well as other new ones like scientific exchange on protected marine areas, nautical charts and hydrography, telecommunications, computer technologies and human rights.

On drug trafficking, a worldwide scourge, the diplomat expressed that ideas have been discussed and there are precedents of work case by case, which create an opportunity to start more formal talks on those issues.

Cuba proposed to the U.S. since the beginning of this century to draw an agreement to fight drug trafficking, initiative reiterated five years ago without results, although the situation could change after the decision of presidents Raul Castro and Barack Obama, announced last December 17, to move forward to the normalization of relations.

We believe it is possible to widen the spectrum of technical and official talks, hoping to draw beneficial cooperation mechanisms for both countries, resumed Vidal.

The eve, the official and her U.S. counterpart in the talks, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Roberta Jacobson, informed about the start of technical meetings between Havana and Washington.

See here the statement by Roberta S. Jacobson, assistant secretary of state for western hemisphere affairs

After concluding the dialog at the State Department headquarters, Jacobson advanced that next week Cuban delegations would travel to its northern neighbor to discuss issues linked to Civil Aviation and traffic of persons.

Also in March, Ambassador Daniel Sepulveda will visit Cuba to work with the hosting government in issues of communication and information, she added.

The combat against migration fraud, the protection of marine areas and human rights -the latter an issue stressed by Cuba, will also be included in the agenda of the technical meetings.