Tue Sep 25, 2007 1:45am BST
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The European Union held informal exploratory
talks with Cuba on Monday on resuming closer ties after years of tension
over human rights issues, an EU diplomat said.
The foreign ministers of EU presidency holder Portugal and Slovenia,
next in the EU chair, plus European Development Commissioner Louis
Michel met Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque on the sidelines of
the U.N. General Assembly.
"It was an informal meeting authorized by the (EU) council to test the
waters. No document was signed. The important thing was that the meeting
happened at all," the diplomat said.
The 27-nation EU reached out to Cuba in June, inviting a Cuban
delegation to Brussels to explore a thaw in ties on the condition that
it agree to discuss human rights on the island.
Cuba's Foreign Ministry rebuffed the offer, saying talks could only
happen when the EU lifts sanctions imposed in 2003.
Relations between Cuba and the EU soured that year after Brussels froze
diplomatic contacts with Havana following the arrest of 75 Cuban
dissidents in a crackdown. The EU eased restrictions on some lower-level
contacts in 2005.
The EU diplomat said the ministers agreed to meet again early next year
under Slovenian presidency ahead of a planned EU-Latin America summit.
They tried to identify issues for that meeting, including from the EU
side human rights, governance reform and prisoners as well as trade
facilitation, economic assistance and initiatives to help protect the
Caribbean region from hurricanes and natural disasters, he said.
The EU has been divided on relations with Cuba, with former colonial
power Spain leading advocates of engagement while the Czech Republic has
spearheaded anti-communist opposition to closer ties on human rights
grounds.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKN2432951720070925
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