Cuba-US commission defines agenda for normalizing relations

The bilateral commission created by Cuba and the United States to advance the normalization of their ties concluded here Friday its first meeting in which it set the agenda for talks.

Cuba's Foreign Ministry said in a release that the meeting took place in "a professional, respectful and constructive climate," adding that the next meeting will be held in November in Washington.

The U.S. delegation was led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South America Alex Lee, while the Cuban one was led by Director of U.S. Affairs at the Cuban Foreign Ministry Josefina Vidal.

Both sides agreed that in upcoming months, they will work to establish cooperation mechanisms in such areas as environmental protection, the prevention of natural disasters, health, civil aviation, law enforcement, as well as combating drugs, human trafficking and transnational crimes.

They also decided to address human rights, as well as topics with multilateral interest such as climatic change, the fight against epidemics, pandemics and other threats to world health.

The Cuban delegation also demanded on Friday that its former foe stop its "illegal" radio and television broadcasting at Cuba and eliminate programs designed to destabilize and subvert the Cuban government.

U.S. and Cuban presidents announced their decision to restore bilateral ties on Dec. 17, 2014. Their embassies in Washington and Havana were reopened on July 20.