The governments of the US and Cuba will maintain their dialogue forrestoring diplomatic ties and ultimately normalising the relationsbetween the two countries.

The statement was made following the first scheduled meeting on the issue in Cuba’s capital of Havana on January 21-22.

During the talks, the two sides sought the possibilities ofcooperation in the fight against human trafficking, oil spillprevention, search and rescue operations in air accidents, environmentalprotection, Ebola prevention, and telecommunication.

Meetingthe media after the talks, Roberta Jacobson, US Assistant Secretary ofState for Western Hemisphere Affairs, and Josefina Vidal, head of theCuban Foreign Ministry’s North American affairs division confirmed thatthe two sides will use the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relationsto guide the process of renewing ties.

However, no date was set for the opening of the embassies in the two countries.

Jacobson hailed the talks as positive and productive, viewing theopening of embassies as part of the diplomatic relations restoringprocess.

Meanwhile, the normalisation of relations is a farmore complicated and lengthy task due to the profound differencesbetween the two countries, she added.

For her part,Vidal said the US’s lifting of its embargo against Cuba is vital to thenormalisation of ties between the two countries.-VNA