Despite calls from Christian Democrats, conservatives and the far right in the European Parliament, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, said, on Tuesday 6 May, that the December 2016 Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement with Cuba gives “a structured framework (that) provides space for us to talk about issues where we agree, but especially on those where we differ”.
Thus, despite setbacks such as the new arrest of human rights defender José Daniel Ferrer (see EUROPE 13632/11), the bilateral agreement remains “the best shot” at promoting the values and defending the interests of the EU, she stressed.
The Spanish Christian Democrat Gabriel Mato questioned how long the EU would remain “complicit” in Cuba’s “humanitarian crisis”, calling for the human rights clause in the bilateral agreement to be activated. His compatriot Hermann Tertsch (PfE) asked Ms Kallas whether, following her comments, she intended to follow in the footsteps of her predecessor, Josep Borrell, who acted “more as Cuba’s ambassador than as the High Representative of twenty-seven democracies”.
Conversely, for the Spanish MEPs Leire Pajín (S&D) and Oihane Agirregoitia Martinez (Renew Europe), the bilateral agreement is the ideal tool for advancing democracy and human rights in Cuba.
Ana Miranda Paz (Greens/EFA, Spanish) asked the Spanish right and far right why, if they are so concerned about people suffering, they are not calling for “the cancellation of the EU/Israel agreement” because of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Finally, Irene Montero (The Left) called for an end to the US blockade on Cuba. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)