(VOVworld) - Cuba and the United States are progressing toward restoring diplomatic relations following two days of talks. They pledged on Friday to continue informal negotiations in the coming weeks to reach a deal on reopening embassies in both countries. Both Cuban and US high-ranking officials showed optimism after 2 days meeting in Washington, regardless several unsolved differences.

US assistant secretary of state for western hemisphere affairs Roberta Jacobson. Photograph: Paul J Richards/AFP/Getty Images

Reopening embassies in Washington and Havana is part of a deal reached by US President Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro last December on resuming diplomatic ties. The US wants to be guaranteed that US diplomats are allowed to freely travel in Cuba. Currently, US diplomats are banned from leaving Havana without permission while Cuban diplomats can’t freely leave Washington or New York. Roberta Jacobson, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, said the US Embassy in Cuba in the future will have similar functions with other diplomatic missions in Cuba the US Embassies in other countries.