Brussels, 26/07/2005 (Agence Europe) - In light of the further arrests of Cuban dissidents by Fidel Castro's regime (see EUROPE 8997), the leader of the EPP-ED Group at the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, sent a letter to Council President Jack Straw, calling on him to give the EU Council's reaction. “The EU policy towards Cuba has failed. It was a mistake of the Council (Ed.: in June) not to continue the diplomatic sanctions that were lifted in January 2005. It was wrong as there has been no progress with regard to the human rights situation and political freedom in Cuba”, Mr Pöttering writes.