EU should normalise ties with Cuba before US does: Commissioner

EU should normalise ties with Cuba before US does: Commissioner
11 May 2009, 13:24 CET

(BRUSSELS) - The European Union should swiftly normalise ties with Cuba
before the US does so, EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel urged
Monday.

"I think that if the European Union does not consolidate the
normalisation of relations with Cuba, the Americans will do so before
us," Michel said ahead of a meeting in Brussels with Cuban Foreign
Minister Bruno Rodriguez along with the Czech EU presidency and EU
foreign affairs chief Javier Solana.

US President Barack Obama last month scrapped restrictions on travel and
remittances to the island for Cubans living in the United States.

After those overtures Obama said the ball was now in Cuba's court,
saying he was waiting in particular for the release of political prisoners.

For its part the EU, under pressure from Spain, has lifted its sanctions
against Cuba which had already been suspended since 2005.

EU foreign ministers will discuss relations with Cuba during a meeting
in Luxembourg on June 15, with particular attention on human rights
issues, in a bid to come up with a new European policy towards Havana.

"I don't see much interest in deciding to reimpose sanctions," said Michel.

He said a recent trip he made to Cuba had been "extremely positive",
assuring that human rights were raised during his talks there.

"I got the impression everywhere that Cubans have a real wish to
completely normalise their relations with the European Union which, in
their eyes, has become an increasingly important partner," he added.

Last month former Cuban leader Fidel Castro urged Obama to end a nearly
half-a-century-old US economic "blockade" of Cuba.

EU should normalise ties with Cuba before US does: Commissioner —
EUbusiness.com - business, legal and economic news and information from
the European Union (11 May 2009)

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1242029821.63