Cuba Calls Meeting with EU Constructive
HAVANA TIMES — The Cuban government today described as “constructive” a meeting held on Wednesday and Thursday in the second round of negotiations for a Political Dialogue and Cooperation with the European Union (EU), reported dpa news.
“The negotiation process is developing normally and exchanges took place constructively” said a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba.
The Cuban foreign ministry reiterated its willingness “to continue to advance this process, on the basis of equality and respect agreed upon with the European Union.”
The second round of negotiations held in Brussels focused on one of the fundamental points of an agreement concerning cooperation and dialogue on sectorial policies.
The chief negotiators were Christian Leffler, executive director for the Americas of the European External Action Service and Cuba’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abelardo Moreno.
Cuba is the only Latin American country with which the EU has no bilateral agreement. Since 1996 the EU partners apply their “common position” on Cuba, a policy that determines relationships progress on human rights.
The future bilateral agreement between the European bloc and the island will have three themes: cooperation, political and institutional issues, and trade.
The first phase of the negotiations between the two sides was held in Havana on April 29-30 of this year, when the “road map” of the meetings was established.
The next round will be held in Havana before end of the year, at a date not yet specified by diplomatic sources.
Until then, the two parties will have informal technical contacts to further progress on the agreement.
I can only hope that unless the Castros are wiling to improve Human Rights in Cuba, the EU will stand fast on the restrictions imposed by the Common Position. This agreement, which has been largely ignored by the EU, still represents a standard of decency expected by the EU with its trading partners.