U.S., Cuba talks resume with focus on opening embassies

Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roberta Jacobson (3rd L) and Josefina Vidal (4th R), director general of the U.S. division of the Cuban foreign ministry, sit with their delegations at the fourth round of closed talks to re-establish diplomatic relations between the. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and Cuba began a fourth round of talks on Thursday aimed at overcoming obstacles to opening embassies in each other's capitals and re-establishing diplomatic ties, the crucial next step in their historic detente.

The meetings at the State Department are being led by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson and Josefina Vidal, director of U.S. affairs at the Cuban foreign ministry.