(VOVworld) - Cuba and the United States held the first round of discussions Tuesday over one of the most contentious issues remaining between the two countries: the billions of dollars each country says it's owed by the other.

US citizens and companies say they're owed about 7 billion USD in property that the Cuban government seized when Fidel Castro took control of the island in 1959. Meanwhile, Cuban government asked for compensation for loss Havana suffered from due to half-a-century embargo estimated to be 121 billion USD, The Cubans say they're owed 181 billion USD in damages from the US economic embargo. The two sides said the meeting took place in professional manner and mutual respect. The US and Cuba agreed to hold 2^nd meeting in March to deal with remaining issues.