EU urges Cuba to carry out democratic reforms

EU urges Cuba to carry out democratic reforms
Tags: Havana , Cuba , European Union
(Source: IANS)
Published: Fri, 06 Nov 2009 at 18:58 IST

Havana: Cuba must carry out democratic reforms in the country as a step
to normalise relations with the European Union (EU), an official of the
27-member bloc said.
EU aid commissioner Karel de Gucht made the remarks after ending his
five-day visit to Cuba on Thursday.

The official described his talks with Cuban President Raul Castro as
"very open, frank and constructive" and said "the EU's position is not
regime change in Cuba".

"Human rights differ from one country to another", but "there's a core
of basic rights that is universal", and that, more progress is needed in
this front, he told reporters before boarding a plane to Brussels.

De Gucht said the US' 47-year-old economic embargo on Cuba had been "an
ineffective tool for international relations".

The EU lifted its largely symbolic sanctions against Cuba, imposed five
years ago, for jailing 75 dissidents. The move led to the resumption of
aid to the Communist nation.

Cuba, however, rejected EU's demand that it first improve the human
rights situation in the country before normalising ties with the
European bloc.

Currently, the two sides cooperate on projects worth 40 million euros
($59.4 million).

On Thursday, Spain's secretary of state for EU affairs Diego Lopez
Garrido said in Madrid that Europe should completely normalise ties with
Cuba.

EU urges Cuba to carry out democratic reforms :: Samay Live (6 November
2009)
http://www.samaylive.com/news/eu-urges-cuba-to-carry-out-democratic-reforms/666334.html