Brussels, 25/03/2015 (Agence Europe) - The European Union hopes the association and cooperation agreement between the EU and Cuba can be concluded by the end of 2015.
“We have decided to accelerate the pace of the negotiations with the hope of making the framework of our dialogue concrete, and an agreement at the end of this year”, said High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini in Havana on Tuesday 24 March. She was speaking at the end of the first visit of a high level European leader to Cuba since the unfreezing of relations between the West and the Castro regime, as reported by the news agency Reuters (see EUROPE 11275). In addition to three other Cuban ministers, Mogherini met Raul Castro, who has been leading Cuba since 2006 and started his final mandate in 2013.
“There are things on which we might not agree, but our cooperation is strong”, Mogherini stated. The issue of human rights is one of the most sensitive issues in the negotiations between Cuba and Europe. During her brief visit, Mogherini spoke to the archbishop of Havana, Cardinal Ortega, and representatives from civil society. “Cuban culture is precious and very well known in Europe. It is also a very powerful diplomatic tool”, she assured representatives from the artistic community.
Not having taken a stand officially for the conclusion of negotiations with the EU by the end of 2015, Mogherini's hosts thanked the countries of the EU for their vote at the United Nations against the American embargo against Cuba. Negotiations have taken place alongside this between Cubans and Americans with a view to normalising their bilateral relations.
The political contact between Europe and Cuba will continue in the spring at the Americas summit (Panama, 10-11 April) and at the EU-Latin American and Caribbean summit (Brussels, June). Cuba's foreign minister, Bruno Rodriguez, will be in Brussels on Wednesday 22 April. (Mathieu Bion)