U.S., Cuba to hold next round of talks on May 21

U.S. President Barack Obama.

U.S. and Cuban negotiators will meet next week to discuss the reopening of embassies in each other's capitals as part of efforts to restore diplomatic ties, the State Department said on Thursday.

The talks will be held on May 21 in Washington, the State Department said in a statement.

The meeting will focus on practical measures needed to reopen embassies in Havana and Washington, the official added.

The talks are the first since President Barack Obama announced on April 14 that he had decided to remove Cuba from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism, a step that Cuba had insisted on before agreeing to reopen embassies.