CUBA-EU: Dialogue to Persevere Despite Differences

By Patricia Grogg Reprint | | Print |

Patricia Grogg

HAVANA, Nov 5 2002 (IPS) - Cuba and the European Union have decided to continue the bilateral political dialogue they began late last year, even though they still disagree when it comes to issues like democracy and human rights.

European diplomats assure that the new round of talks will be conducted in a climate of mutual respect.

At a meeting in Copenhagen on Monday, representatives picked up where the talks left off in December 2001 in Havana, where it was resolved that dialogue "could create an appropriate framework" to foment increased cooperation between the 15-member EU and the Caribbean island.

But in contrast to last December’s meet, which ended with the emission of a joint communiqué, this time the two sides reported on the results of the "talks on talks" separately.

The dialogue with the delegates of Cuba’s Fidel Castro government occurred in an "atmosphere of mutual respect," said the EU in its statement, in which it also underscored the intention of both parties to continue the effort, with sights on strengthening relations.

The EU take on Monday’s meeting is that it provided the opportunity to exchange information and comments on the human rights situations in Cuba and the EU, on the development of the economic and private sectors, on the U.S. trade embargo against the island, and on the international war against terrorism.

In its communiqué on the meeting’s outcomes, Havana described the dialogue as "broad, transparent and constructive", as well as forward-looking, but insisted that the EU’s official "common position" with regards to Cuba cannot be accepted as a "basis for bilateral relations."

The Cuban delegation at the Copenhagen meeting, led by assistant foreign minister Angel Dalmau, stated that Cuba does not feel at all obligated by the stipulations of the EU policy.

The common position is a resolution the EU approved in 1996, at Spain’s urging, in which the bloc stipulates that "full cooperation will depend upon improvements in human rights and political freedom" on the Caribbean island.

According to Castro’s socialist government, the EU Council of Ministers should subject that stance to "serious and in-depth" study.

Another irritant for Cuba is the EU member nations’ repeated votes in favour of the resolutions of the Geneva-based United Nations Commission on Human Rights that condemn the Castro regime’s record in that arena.

The EU common position and its votes in favour of the "anti- Cuban and politicised" resolutions promoted by the United States in Geneva are the two main elements of friction between the two parties, says Havana’s summary.

The EU reviews its stance on the socialist regime of the Caribbean island every six months. The European bloc has maintained its call for Cuba to "promote respect for human rights and make real progress towards pluralist democracy."

Experts on both sides of the Atlantic comment that few believe in the effectiveness of the EU common position and that it only continues today because of "inertia". The policy has failed to achieve the desired political reforms, and has actually undermined the European bloc’s influence on the island, say observers.

Along with the reactivation of talks, the EU decided Monday that it will establish representation with diplomatic status on the island in early 2003. The EU presence is expected to help bilateral relations.

Beyond Cuba’s political or ideological differences with the bloc, it maintains diplomatic and trade relations with each of the 15 EU members: Austria, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

In its post-meeting statement, Cuba recognised that its broad economic and cooperative relations with the EU members are of great strategic importance. The 15 countries are responsible for 34 percent of Cuban trade flows.

Spain’s government, under José María Aznar, is the most vocal critic of Castro, but Spain is the island’s leading trade partner. In 2000, total bilateral exchange surpassed 893 million dollars, according to official figures.

Luis López Moreno, the economic and trade consul at Madrid’s embassy in Havana, said, "Spanish interests and ties in Cuba have become so important that it is essential to maintain and expand them. It is not longer possible for either party to back away."

The Spanish diplomat told the Cuban media that his country could serve as a springboard for Cuban products to be distributed throughout the rest of the EU.

The EU market will take on greater importance for Cuba as more members are added, such as the countries of Eastern Europe, López Moreno pointed out.

The second-leading European market for Cuba is France. Trade between the two was more than 332 million dollars in 2000. Italy followed, with 331 million dollars in trade with Cuba.

And when it comes to foreign investment, Spain is also in the lead in terms of number of companies doing business in Cuba, with 25 percent of the total. Canada follows, with 19 percent, Italy with 14 percent, France four percent and Britain with three percent.

CUBA-EU: Dialogue to Persevere Despite Differences

By Patricia Grogg Reprint | | Print |

Patricia Grogg

HAVANA, Nov 5 2002 (IPS) - Cuba and the European Union have decided to continue the bilateral political dialogue they began late last year, even though they still disagree when it comes to issues like democracy and human rights.
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