CUBA-EU/TALKS EU, Cuba enter difficult phase of bilateral talks, focus on political pact

Record ID: 139974

  • Title: CUBA-EU/TALKS EU, Cuba enter difficult phase of bilateral talks, focus on political pact
  • Date: 11th September 2015
  • Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (SEPTEMBER 10, 2015) (REUTERS) EUROPEAN UNION REPRESENTATIVES ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE CUBAN AND EU FLAGS EU DELEGATE BEN NUPNAU SITTING AT NEWS CONFERENCE GENERAL OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CHRISTIAN LEFFLER, MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR THE AMERICAS AT THE EUROPEAN EXTERNAL ACTION SERVICE, SAYING: "We know it's long-term work and we know it's normal that the visions aren't completely aligned. We're not trying to convince other countries, other governments, that there is one perfect European model to apply." EU DELEGATE ROBERT STEINLECHNER AT NEWS CONFERENCE DELEGATES SITTING AT TABLE DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CHRISTIAN LEFFLER, MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR THE AMERICAS AT THE EUROPEAN EXTERNAL ACTION SERVICE, SAYING: "The European vision of respect and the demonstration of fundamental rights of citizens isn't found in all parts of the world and in all the dimensions interpreted by Cuban authorities. So we must find an area of understanding." CAMERAMEN WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CHRISTIAN LEFFLER, MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR THE AMERICAS AT THE EUROPEAN EXTERNAL ACTION SERVICE, SAYING: "We're trying to find entry points, links, and through those links, slowly, build trust that allows us to advance further in the relationship and in supporting changes, forms, modernizations, call them what you will, that we believe reflect those objectives, intentions, ambitions that we defend." END OF NEWS CONFERENCE SIGN READING 'EUROPEAN UNION DELEGATION IN CUBA' EXTERIOR OF EU DELEGATION BUILDING
  • Embargoed: 26th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cuba
  • Country: Cuba
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAC52LL2XWQUZ717A905MHV3XB5
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The European Union and Cuba entered the most difficult phase of their bilateral talks on Thursday (September 10) when they started to discuss a new political agreement to replace a unilateral policy imposed by the Europeans 19 years ago.
    The two sides have met five times over the past year-and-a-half in search of a far-reaching accord. Both sides reported on Thursday that two of the three pillars of a deal, on trade and cooperation, were basically finished, and they started talking about a political agreement between the 28-nation bloc and the communist-run Caribbean island.
    The EU's decision last year to open talks was a victory in itself for Cuba as a European acknowledgement it would have to scrap its "common position," which placed a priority on democratic reforms and improved human rights in Cuba.
    Chief European negotiator Christian Leffler told journalists the common position was still valid but stressed the EU was looking for a better and longer-lasting agreement to replace it.
    "We know it's long-term work," Leffler said. "We're not trying to convince other countries, other governments, that there is one perfect European model to apply."
    Leffler said it was "no secret" the two sides remained apart on issues such as human rights but that the whole point of the talks was to search for areas of agreement.
    "The European vision of respect and the demonstration of fundamental rights of citizens isn't found in all parts of the world and in all the dimensions interpreted by Cuban authorities. So we must find an area of understanding," he said.
    "We're trying to find entry points, links, and through those links, slowly, build trust that allows us to advance further in the relationship and in supporting changes, forms, modernizations, call them what you will, that we believe reflect those objectives, intentions, ambitions that we defend," he added.
    Cuba has always rejected foreign suggestions it should change its one-party system or that human rights on the island were lacking. Historically the loudest calls came from the United States but in 1996 were echoed by the EU, which adopted the common position at the urging of Spain's conservative former Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar.
    "All I can say about the common position is that is it is neither common nor a position," Abelardo Moreno, Cuba's deputy foreign minister for European affairs, told reporters at the conclusion of two days of talks in Havana.
    Less than a year into the European talks, Cuba and the United States announced detente, leading to the restoration of diplomatic relations after 54 years of Cold War hostilities.
    In March, Cuba and the EU agreed to speed the pace of talks to reach the basics of a deal by the end of 2015, but both sides backed off that goal on Thursday. The next round was scheduled for the second half of November in Brussels.
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