Talks between the United States and Cuba on immigration issues, suspended since 2003, are set to restart on Tuesday at the UN headquarters in New York, a US official told AFP.
"They will resume tomorrow," said the official, who request anonymity, adding that the discussion will take place at the United Nations building in Manhattan.
In early June, the White House welcomed Havana's agreement to resume talks on migratory issues, but the official on Monday did not confirm the talks would also include a direct mail service between the two countries.
The latest move to thaw relations followed Obama's decision in April to authorize travel and money transfers to the island by US nationals of Cuban descent.
"Obviously, it's in the interest of both governments," said President Barack Obama's spokesman Robert Gibbs last month.
"Obviously, I think direct mail would increase the ability for the president's initiative to be able to reach out directly to the Cuban people," Gibbs also added.
Mail between the two countries currently goes through third countries.
Discussions on immigration issues have been conducted every two years until they were suspended in 2003 by former president George W. Bush.
Havana informed Washington at the end of May, however, that it would take up the US offer to resume the long-stalled talks.
Hillary Clinton said at the time that Cuba must still improve human rights -- including the release of political prisoners and improving political freedoms -- before its isolation under the decades-long embargo can be fully ended.
A US official also said in May that Cuban authorities had "indicated they would like to explore areas of additional dialogue," such as in counter-narcotics, counter-terrorism, hurricane and disaster preparedness response.
Since a popular Obama took office in January he has raised hopes among many of his neighbors in Latin America that he will soon lift the embargo, even if he insists that Cuba first undertake democratic reforms.
Apart from the new steps, the Obama administration has called past US policy a failure and moved to repair ties with Cuban President Raul Castro, who officially took over the reins from older brother Fidel last year.
