Cuba temporarily resumes consular services in US

Cuba announced the restoration of its consular services in the US temporarily till February 17, 2014, the official daily Granma reported Monday.

Cuba, which suspended its consular services Nov 26, made the announcement after the M&T Bank, previously in charge of Cuba's Interest Section operations in the US, granted an extension for closing the accounts of Cuban diplomatic missions there, Xinhua reported quoting Granma.

This extension will run till March 1, 2014, specifying to receive deposits for consular services only till Feb 17.

Cuba's Interests Section in Washington pledged to "continue its efforts to identify a new bank to take over the operation of its accounts and gradually be able to normalise permanently the consular services," the daily said.

The M&T Bank notified the Cuba Interests Section in Washington July 12 that it is not able to continue with the section due to US sanctions against Havana and gave it a term till November 26, 2013, to end the relations.

Cuba and the US have no diplomatic relations, but established interests sections in Washington and Havana May 30, 1977 to treat diplomatic and consular affairs.