Cuba and EU Begin Negotiations

HAVANA TIMES — The European Union (EU) and the Cuban government today initiated the first round of talks, which will close tomorrow, where the two parties hope to agree on a “roadmap” for negotiations on the new agreement on political dialogue and cooperation, said Europe Press.

“The first session will focus on the establishment of rules and a roadmap for negotiations,” European diplomatic sources said that the deal is expected to close sometime in 2015.

Christian Leffler, director for the Americas of the European External Action Service, will lead the negotiations on the European side while on Cuba will be represented by Abelardo Moreno, a deputy foreign minister.

Leffler said in March before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Parliament that “any agreement with the EU will include standard provisions on governance, democracy, human rights and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.”

The agreement may replace the common position adopted by the EU in 1996.