EU to push Cuba on human rights as foreign minister visits Brussels

EU to push Cuba on human rights as foreign minister visits Brussels
Submitted by Mohit Joshi on Mon, 05/11/2009 - 09:40.

EU to push Cuba on human rights as foreign minister visits
BrusselsBrussels - The European Union on Monday planned to push Cuba to
improve its human-rights record, including by releasing political
prisoners, as the island's foreign minister arrived for talks at the
bloc's headquarters in Brussels.

The trip comes at a fluid time in the world's relations with the
communist Caribbean island, after President Barack Obama recently
relaxed travel restrictions for US citizens imposed by his predecessor,
George W Bush.

"We are looking forward to hearing what are the intentions of the Cuban
minister, specially with the situation regarding human rights," said
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout on behalf of the EU's rotating presidency.

During his visit to Brussels, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez
Parrilla was to meet officials from the current and next EU
presidencies, as well as EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and EU
Aid Commissioner Louis Michel.

Several EU governments, led by former colonial master Spain, are eager
to normalize relations with Cuba following the recent diplomatic
overtures offered to its new leader, Raul Castro, by United States
President Barack Obama.

But the Czech Republic and other member states remain sceptical, with
Kohout telling reporters that Cuba still needs to do more on the human
rights front.

"The steps taken in the last years have not been big enough to satisfy
us," Kohout said.

The meeting in Brussels was the second of its kind since EU leaders
agreed in June to lift diplomatic sanctions against Cuba.

The lifting of the sanctions, which included limits on high-level
government visits and the role of EU diplomats in Cuba's cultural
events, was largely symbolic, since the bloc had already suspended them
in 2005.

EU foreign ministers are due to discuss the bloc's relations with Cuba
at a meeting scheduled to take place next month in Luxembourg. (dpa)

EU to push Cuba on human rights as foreign minister visits Brussels |
Top News (11 May 2009)

http://www.topnews.in/eu-push-cuba-human-rights-foreign-minister-visits-brussels-2165071