US, Cuba hold highest-level talks in four years

By MATTHEW LEE
AP Diplomatic Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and Cuba have held their highest-level diplomatic talks in four years after a severe disruption in ties during the Trump administration. Thursday’s discussions in Washington between senior State Department officials and Cuba’s deputy foreign minister focused on migration, with the U.S. side eager to rein in a growing number of Cubans trying to enter the United States illegally. The State Department says the talks covered areas of successful cooperation on migration but also identified obstacles. The meeting took place just a day after U.S. border authorities reported that the number of Cubans seeking entry is now five times the number it was in October.