Brussels, 02/02/2005 (Agence Europe) - In a press statement Hans-Gert Pöttering, president of the EPP-ED at the European Parliament, deplored the decision of the EU to temporarily lift European sanctions against Cuba (EUROPE 1 February p 6). The CDU MEP said that as long as there were still political prisoners in Cuba a temporary lifting of sanctions was not acceptable. He also hoped that Fidel Castro's behaviour would justify the confidence that EU foreign affairs ministers had shown him in advance. Mr Pöttering insisted that before the Council's decision in re-examined, towards the second half of this year, the EU should move towards a serious analysis of the human rights situation in Cuba.