The United States and Cuba are set to hold their highest level talks in decades.
Senior officials will meet in Havana on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss immigration issues and a road map to return ambassadors to each other's nation, more than half a century after full diplomatic relations broke off in 1961.
The talks come five weeks after US President Barack Obama and Cuban counterpart Raul Castro simultaneously announced their countries would seek to normalise ties.
Roberta Jacobson, the US assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, will head the American delegation while the Cubans will be represented by the foreign ministry's director for US affairs, Josefina Vidal.
As the two nations get closer, one person has been noticeably quiet: 88-year-old retired leader Fidel Castro has not reacted publicly to the rapprochement, sparking speculation about his health.
The first day of the talks will centre on migration - an issue that has vexed both nations for decades, with Cubans hopping on rickety boats to traverse 145 kilometres of shark-infested waters to reach Florida.
Then on Thursday, the two sides will discuss the process to re-establish diplomatic relations and bring back their embassies.
"I think that Jacobson's visit is, without a doubt, historic and it will bring changes but it's important to be aware that you can't expect sudden miracles," Latin America analyst Peter Schechter said on Monday.
Cubans have voiced hope the warming ties will translate into improvements in their daily lives in a country where supermarket shelves are bare and people make about $20 a month.
In the United States, most Americans have approved Obama's move, with a survey released on Friday showing that two-thirds favour lifting the embargo.
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