Cuba and Panama began negotiations to achieve an agreement in the field of migration, as a mechanism to control the flow of individuals and fight against the traffic and trade in persons.

According to a Cuban Foreign Ministry's press release, the beginning of negotiations for the agreement took place during the third round of talks on the issue held between Panama and the Caribbean island.

The legal instrument would also look for an appropriate treatment and a treatment of respect for the human rights of migrants, assured the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX).

The two-day meeting was held on September 27 and 28, 2016, which was presided over by Ulises Arranz, Deputy Director of the MINREX for Consular Matters and for Cubans Living Abroad, and by Javier Carrillo, General Director of the National Service of Migration of the Ministry of Public Security of Panama.

Working sessions took place in a cordial atmosphere of mutual respect, in keeping with the level of existent bilateral relations.

The press release adds that the delegations assessed the behavior of the migratory flow between the two countries, as well as the state of implementation of the agreements on the exchange of alerts and security information.

The two parties reaffirmed the willingness and the commitment of their respective governments of carrying out joint actions to guarantee a regular, organized and safe flow.

The island’s delegation expressed its deep concern for the persistence of U.S. laws such as the Cuban Adjustment Act, as well as the policies of "dry feet-wet feet," and the "Program of Parole for Cuban medical professionals,” which encourage irregular and unsafe emigration, cause losses of human lives and favor the commission of crimes like the traffic and trade in persons, fraud and the use of violence, while creating problems to other countries.

Cuba underlined that it maintains its disposition of receiving all Cuban migrants according current legislation.