WASHINGTON—The U.S. and Cuba announced Friday that they have reached an arrangement to re-build immediate mail services, a stage towards normalizing relations.
The sides agreed on Thursday in Miami to start a pilot plan that will supply mail flights amongst the two countries a number of times a week. Under current preparations, mail and packages have to be routed by means of third international locations.
Total resumption of mail provider will not be quick and will depend on even more complex conversations, the Cuban embassy in Washington said in a assertion. Equally sides explained the pilot plan would start in the coming months.
The settlement comes practically a calendar year soon after the Dec. seventeen, 2014 announcement by President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro that they ended up shifting to normalize relations in between the two longtime enemies.
The U.S. and Cuba halted direct mail provider in 1963, in the midst of the Cold War. Since then, sending mail from the U.S. to Cuba has been a complicated approach.
“We are eager to end this essential perform, which will serve to provide the American and Cuban individuals nearer collectively,” a Point out Section official explained.
The Cuban embassy in Washington mentioned the talks to resume provider have been “respectful, expert and constructive.”
U.S. and Cuban officials are keeping talks on a variety of subjects as portion of the normalization energy. Officers from the two nations will meet in Washington early following week for a 3rd and probably final spherical of conversations to resume immediate flights in between the U.S. and Cuba.
Officers have explained they are hoping to announce an airline agreement early following year.
Publish to Felicia Schwartz at Felicia.Schwartz@wsj.com
