Cuba, US hold 3rd round of regulatory talks amid thaw

Cuba, US hold 3rd round of regulatory talks amid thaw
By Associated Press July 13 at 6:04 PM

HAVANA — Cuban and U.S. officials wrapped up two days of regulatory
talks behind closed doors in Havana on Wednesday, the third round of
such negotiations between the one-time Cold War foes amid a thaw in
diplomatic ties.

A Cuban Foreign Ministry statement said the discussions centered on
modifications to the U.S. economic embargo made by the Obama
administration and limitations that remain, as well as Cuban regulations
governing commercial and financial relations. No new agreements were
announced.

A news release from the U.S. State Department said U.S. officials
described changes that were announced in the spring related to
Cuba-specific travel, commerce and financial transactions. The two
nations' representatives studied ways they "can work together within
existing U.S. laws and regulations," the statement added.

Ahead of his trip to Havana in March, President Barack Obama relaxed
some financial curbs on Cuba, including further easing travel
restrictions for Americans and moving to restore Cuba's access to the
global financial system. Havana responded by saying it would lift a 10
percent conversion fee it levies on U.S. dollars once it was able to
confirm that the measures would allow it to freely use the currency in
its international transactions.

However Cuba has complained recently that it is still unable to use the
dollar, and it has yet to end the conversion fee. President Raul Castro
mentioned the issue last week in a speech to parliament.

Representatives of the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Commerce and the U.S.
State, Treasury and Commerce departments participated in the talks
Tuesday and Wednesday. Josefina Vidal, Cuba's top diplomat for U.S.
affairs, said via Twitter that the countries would meet Thursday to
discuss migratory issues.

Havana and Washington announced in December 2014 that they would move
toward normalizing relations after over 50 years of open hostility, and
the two countries re-established embassies in their respective capitals
last year.

Source: Cuba, US hold 3rd round of regulatory talks amid thaw - The
Washington Post -
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/cuba-us-hold-3rd-round-of-regulatory-talks-amid-thaw/2016/07/13/bc37c50c-4945-11e6-8dac-0c6e4accc5b1_story.html