Cuba, US to Renew Migration TalksMigration talks between Cuba and the United States will reopen Monday after being postponed since the middle of 1999 due to US retention of Cuban boy Elian Gonzalez, Cuba's chief negotiator Ricardo Alarcon announced Thursday, December 7.Alarcon, president of Cuba's National Assembly (Parliament), confirmed that negotiations, which had been held every six months for six years, will restart next week. In the talks, both parties are reviewing the implementation of migration accords adopted by both countries in 1994 and ratified one year later. Under the documents, the United States should issue a minimum of 20,000 visas a year to Cubans who wish to emigrate and return all the illegal immigrants detained on high seas when they try to get to American soil. On the Cuban side, it should dissuade potential illegal emigrants and allow social reinsertion of those returned by American authorities. Havana is accusing Washington of failing to fulfill covenants by keeping in force the so-called Law of Cuban Adjustment, which grants automatic refuge to illegal Cuban immigrants. Without formal diplomatic relations, Cuba and the United States only maintain negotiations regarding migration matters. |
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