European Union seeking to upgrade bloc's ties with Cuba

BRUSSELS (AP):

Europe is set to upgrade its ties with Cuba in a bid to broaden economic cooperation and demand more progress on respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, a senior European Union (EU) official said yesterday.

The 28-nation bloc's foreign ministers will endorse a mandate to negotiate a new, broad political agreement with Cuba at their upcoming meeting Monday, the official said.

The agreement won't include facilitating trade relations or more development aid for Cuba, but it will mark a crucial step in that direction by broadening and regularising the two sides' political exchanges, he said.

The official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity ahead of the decision's announcement, declined to detail what progress on human rights the EU will specifically demand from Cuba, saying it would be counterproductive to cite specific benchmarks at this point.

political framework

He insisted, however, that any progress on reaching the new political framework will hinge on "developments on the island since the idea is to accompany the process of reforms, modernisation and further strengthening of fundamental freedoms and human rights."

Should Cuba's progress stall, he suggested, then "the motivation to engage frequently will be much less. Other priorities will get the upper hand."

In Havana, Cuban officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the forthcoming EU mandate.