WASHINGTON, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Direct talks between the United States and Cuba on the issue of immigration will be resumed in New York on Tuesday, reports here quoted a U.S. official as saying on Monday.

    The official, who asked not to be named, said the talks would be held Tuesday at the UN headquarters in New York.

    The U.S.-Cuba immigration talks, which aimed at preventing illegal Cuban migrants to the United Stats, had been suspended by the Bush administration since 2004.

    Washington offered in mid-May to resume talks with Cuba about migration of Cuban nationals to the United States, a fresh sign of President Barack Obama's effort to engage with the island country.

    The president, who vows to open a new beginning with Cuba, has also ordered to lift restrictions on travel and money transfers by Cuban-Americans to Cuba, and allowed American telecommunications firms to provide services for the Cubans.

    Since the victory of the Cuban revolution in 1959, the U.S. administrations have invariably adopted a hostile policy toward Cuba. The United States severed relations with Cuba in 1961 and has imposed economic blockade and restrictive measures on trade with Cuba since 1962.