U.S. and Cuban scientific communities share common interests and work projects and we are sure we can work together to develop joint research, an expert said on Thursday.

We are defining priorities, possibilities and opportunities, particularly in life sciences, marine and environmental issues, Vaughan C. Turekian, who is the director of the International Affairs Office at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), told Prensa Latina.

We want to identify areas of work, continue ongoing studies, and to achieve that, experts from the two nations met for three days in Havana to explore issues of education and labor relations, Turekian said.

He also acknowledged that there are objective barriers that prevent a better relationship between the two peoples and to carry out joint research.

Meanwhile, Mark Rasenick, who is a professor at the University of Illinois, Chicago, highlighted the strengths of Cuban science, particularly neuroscience, and assured they will establish contact with Cuban specialists.

For three days, 40 experts from Cuba and the United States worked together to build a sustainable partnership between the two countries, whose governments do not have diplomatic relations since 1961.