The United States and Cuban officials are on their second day of diplomatic talks in the island, which will include plans to reopen embassies and recognize diplomats at their respective capitals.

Roberta Jacobson, the assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, has led the U.S. delegation in Cuba. Her visit represents the first trip by a senior American diplomat to Cuba in 38 years. Josefina Vidal, the head of Cuba's foreign ministry to U.S. affairs, represented Cuba.

For Thursday's talks, the U.S. delegation seeks to reestablish its U.S. Embassy in Havana while accrediting U.S. diplomats and granting access to travel the island. According to a U.S. State Department official, U.S. officials are hoping Cuba will lift travel restrictions, remove the caps on the number of U.S. diplomatic personnel on the island and ease the flow of shipment for the diplomats.

"Normalization, as you know we believe strongly, is not a reward. You can ask governments around the world whether they think having a U.S. diplomatic presence is a reward. But we think having a robust U.S. diplomatic presence is in the U.S. national interest. It's a better way of advancing those interests and a better way of empowering the Cuban people," said a senior U.S. State Department official during a press call on Jan. 19.

"The President said on Dec. 17, and I want to reiterate that we're under no illusions about the continued barriers to freedom that remain for ordinary Cubans," added the senior U.S. State Department official, noting that "significant differences" with the Cuban government will still continue but will press on the Castro regime to support international obligations such as human rights.

The first day of talks, which focused on immigration, did cause opposing views from U.S. and Cuban officials. The U.S. claimed it will grant safe havens to Cubans who migrate to the country, which is a topic Cuba opposes. If U.S. law enforcement were to stop exiling Cubans at sea, they will be returned to Cuba.

"We explained to the Cuban government that our government is completely committed to upholding the Cuban Adjustment Act, that the sets of migration-related policies that are colloquially known as wet foot/dry foot very much remain in effect," said State Department official Alex Lee, via Reuters.

Cuba claimed the U.S. has been promoting illegal immigration and human trafficking. Vidal said the U.S. policy to accept Cubans who land on their land is "totally inconsistent with the present bilateral context" and described it as a "reprehensible brain drain practice." Jacobson, however, was not present for the migration talks.

The bilateral talks come as President Barack Obama called for Congress to end the embargo on Cuba during his State of the Union address on Tuesday.

"In Cuba, we are ending a policy that was long past its expiration date," said Obama. "When what you're doing doesn't work for 50 years, it's time to try something new. And our shift in Cuba policy has the potential to end a legacy of mistrust in our hemisphere. It removes a phony excuse for restrictions in Cuba. It stands up for democratic values, and extends the hand of friendship to the Cuban people."

As Latin Post reported, Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced efforts to renew diplomatic relations on Dec. 17. Since the announcement, the U.S. Department of Commerce and Treasury Department have amended regulations on travel and shipments to Cuba.

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.

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