European Union leaders meeting in Brussels for a summit, is expected to
announce shortly its decision on whether to lift sanctions on Cuba.
The measures were imposed in 2003 after the imprisonment of more than 70
Cuban dissidents. They were suspended in 2005, but not completely removed.
Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said there was a "good"
chance of sanctions being lifted.
Any definitive lifting of the sanctions would be largely symbolic.
But it would still constitute a diplomatic success for the new
government of Raul Castro, the BBC's James Painter reports.
The decades-old US trade embargo against Cuba remains in place.
The US state department said it hoped the EU sanctions would not be
lifted because there had not been "any kind of fundamental break" with
communism as practiced under Fidel Castro.
'Important reforms'
The original sanctions imposed by the European Union five years ago
included a limit on high-level government visits and the participation
of EU diplomats in cultural events in Cuba.
Most European embassies also invited prominent Cuban dissidents to
receptions as a protest against the country's human rights record.
Relations improved in 2005, but the measures were not completely removed.
Since Raul Castro in effect took over from his brother, Fidel, nearly
two years ago, Spain in particular has pressed hard for a complete
removal of the sanctions in the light of what it sees as important
reforms in Cuba.
Other countries like Sweden, and in particular the Czech Republic,
believe the changes are mainly cosmetic, especially in the area of human
rights.
'Diplomatic success'
In practice, the EU sanctions are largely symbolic. Unlike the US
embargo which has been in force since 1962, they do not amount to any
restriction on trade or investment.
Moreover, in recent years, and particularly under Raul Castro, the Cuban
government has diversified its international relations.
Venezuela, which supplies billions of dollars worth of oil in exchange
for Cuban doctors, and China, which buys considerable amounts of Cuba's
nickel, are much more important trading partners than Europe.
But if the 27 members of the EU were to agree on some formula to lift
the sanctions, then the Cuban government would see it as a diplomatic
success.
In particular, they would point to the differences with the US
government, which has not made any moves to lift its trade embargo.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/americas/7463803.stm
Published: 2008/06/19 21:48:30 GMT
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