Cuba and U.S. make progress in migration talks, however extra is required, Cuba says By Reuters

By Dave Sherwood

HAVANA (Reuters) – Cuba and america are making progress in talks geared toward curbing a migration disaster that noticed a document variety of Cubans arrive on the U.S. border final 12 months, however these advances will not be sufficient to stem the tide, Cuba’s prime diplomat within the talks mentioned on Tuesday.

Deputy International Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio informed reporters that regardless of steps in the fitting route, america had but to deal with the foundation of the issue.

“We reiterated our concern about (U.S.) measures that encourage unlawful emigration,” mentioned De Cossio, citing current migration insurance policies that prioritize Cubans in search of entry to america over these of different nationalities.

The U.S. State Division mentioned the talks present an “alternative for discussions on mutual implementation of migration accords” signed between the 2 international locations.

“The U.S. delegation highlighted areas of profitable cooperation on migration, whereas additionally figuring out points which were obstacles to fulfilling the objectives of the Accords,” it mentioned in an announcement.

De Cossio mentioned one key impediment was the U.S. Chilly Struggle-era embargo, an internet of U.S. legal guidelines and rules that complicate enterprise and monetary transactions with Cuba.

“There isn’t a doubt {that a} coverage geared toward repressing the usual of dwelling of the inhabitants constitutes a direct stimulus to migration,” he mentioned.

Talks between the 2 international locations resumed in April, the primary such conversations on migration in 4 years after an extended hiatus below former President Donald Trump.

By September, the administration of President Joe Biden had introduced it could restaff the embassy and restart full immigrant visa processing in Havana in early 2023, a transfer each side mentioned marked a significant step ahead in negotiations.

Trump in 2017 slashed personnel in Havana following “anomalous well being incidents” that affected workers on the U.S. and Canadian embassies, forcing Cubans to ultimately fly to Guyana to use for immigrant visas.

Few Cubans have the means to pay for such journeys, leaving some to hunt irregular routes and contributing to the present exodus.

Cuba has additionally made concessions within the talks.

The communist-run authorities agreed for the primary time for the reason that pandemic to just accept U.S. deportation flights carrying Cubans caught on the U.S.-Mexico border, one other stipulation of the migration accords.

That call, first reported by Reuters, might ship a symbolic message to people who sometimes fly to Central America and journey north to the border.

A document 220,000 Cubans had been caught on the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal 12 months 2022, which ended on Sept. 30. The overwhelming majority had been allowed into america to pursue immigration circumstances.