U.S. concerns about counterterrorism will be among the subjects addressed, a State Department spokesperson said. "This type of dialogue enhances the national security of the United States through improved international law enforcement coordination, which enables the United States to better protect U.S. citizens and bring transnational criminals to justice," the State Department spokesperson said in a statement. A person in Washington familiar with the matter said the talks were expected to take place next week. The Biden administration last May kept Cuba on a short list of countries the United States says are "not cooperating fully" in its fight against terrorism. The State Department spokesperson said the coming talks "provides a forum to raise difficult matters and convey our concerns directly to the Cuban government."

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