Brussels, 03/04/2007 (Agence Europe) - The official visit to Cuba of Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos is part of an attempt to heal relations between Spain and Cuba on the one hand, and the EU and Cuba on the other. Cuba is currently being run on a temporary basis by Fidel Castro's brother, Raul Castro. After meeting the Cuban foreign minister Felipe Perez Roque on Monday, Moratinos said that a new stage was opening, a stage through dialogue, strong, open dialogue, in which we express our opinions, which do not always converge but we always try to understand one another. Moratinos added that he would like to address the question of the EU's relationship with Cuba given the international context they were now facing. The EU launched political and diplomatic sanctions in June 2003 after the arrest of 75 Cuban dissidents who were later condemned to between 6 and 28 years in prison. The sanctions were suspended on 31 January 2005 and dialogue was restored (see EUROPE 8878). The EU's General Affairs Council will be considering extending the temporary suspension of the sanctions in June 2007. (ab)