Brussels, 13/04/2015 (Agence Europe) - High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini took part in the Americas summit on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 April, on the sidelines of which she met Cuba's President Raul Castro and US President Barack Obama.
“In this historical moment for the Americas, while the United States and Cuba are opening a new chapter of their relations, it is crucial to reaffirm and strengthen the friendship between the European Union and all the countries of the region to accompany this time of change”, Mogherini stated in a press release.
This is the third time since the start of 2015 that Mogherini has visited the Latin American continent - following the CELAC summit in January and her official visit to Cuba in March (which was the first official visit of a high-level European leader - see EUROPE 11282). “This is part of our resolve to strengthen our political relations with Cuba and our ongoing negotiations”, said Catherine Ray, Mogherini's spokesperson, on Monday 13 April. On Friday 24 April, the Cuban foreign minister will moreover be in Brussels to continue the negotiations for an association and cooperation agreement with the EU - possibly before the end of 2015. It is nevertheless too early to plan with any certainty Castro's participation in the EU-Latin America summit in Brussels on 10-11 June.
The 7th Americas summit in Panama was historic, with the participation of all the countries of the continent for the first time since Cuba has been governed by a Communist regime. A meeting was held between Castro and Obama, after they first shook hands at Nelson Mandela's funeral in South Africa in 2013. However, the road to normalisation of relations between Cuba and the US is still long. (Mathieu Bion)