Brussels, 16/03/2015 (Agence Europe) - Federica Mogherini, the high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy, will visit Havana on 23 and 24 March. This is the first visit of a European Union High Representative to Cuba.
According to a European External Action Service (EEAS) press statement on Saturday 14 March, this visit comes at “a crucial time for the negotiations between the EU and Cuba”. At the beginning of March in Havana, a European Commission delegation took part in the third negotiating session with the Cuban authorities in view of signing a cooperation and association agreement (see EUROPE 11265).
The High Representative referred to this being an “interesting” period for Cuba, particularly with regard to the positive developments in the country' s relations with “key international partners”, such as the US. Mogherini expressed her wish for the EU to examine how relations between Europe and Cuba could move forward with “a strong momentum”.
During her visit, Mogherini will have meetings with Cuban government representatives, such as Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, whom she met for the first time in January in a backdrop to the CELAC summit (see EUROPE 11242). Mogherini is eager to speak with all the different Cuban interlocutors and she will be meeting with the Archbishop of Havana, Cardinal Ortega and representatives of civil society. (Mathieu Bion)