Representatives of Cuba and the United States held migration talks on Wednesday to assess the progress in complying with the bilateral agreements adopted in this area.
Havana, Cuba.- During a press conference, Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío described the dialogue as frank and constructive and stressed that Cuba attaches great importance to this type of exchange and the cooperation that should result from it.
He pointed out that at the meeting, the Cuban side reiterated its willingness to comply with the commitments it has assumed and demanded a similar attitude from the United States.
The deputy foreign minister noted that the combination of privileged treatment for those arriving in the United States and the overall economic blockade pose “a fundamental contradiction to the purposes of the agreements and the mutual commitment to guarantee migration that is regular, orderly and safe.”
In this framework, Cuba insisted on the need to resume the full provision of services at the US Embassy in Havana for those requesting non-immigrant visas, he added.
Fernández de Cossío commented that although this process began partially in August for a certain category, it is still not as complete as it was in the past.
“We have argued that this is a factor that encourages many people to want to emigrate to get residency and be able to travel between the two countries, something that would not be necessary if there were multiple visas and if migrants who go to visit were processed in Havana as it was in the past,” he said.
The diplomat explained that Cuba has expressed concern about the number of Cubans who are in legal limbo in the US and addressed the growth of human trafficking operations, in which individuals or organizations operating from the southern United States are involved.
He also referred to the aggressive treatment that Cubans who reside there, or in Cuba and third countries, have been receiving for months in US airports.
The official also ratified Cuba’s willingness to expand and consolidate bilateral cooperation on migration matters. (PL)
