BERLIN – Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has said
that European Union policy towards Cuba is not a priority and is not
even on the agenda of Spain's six-month term in the EU presidency, which
began Jan. 1.
"EU policy towards Cuba is not a priority during our presidency,"
Zapatero said in a statement published Friday in Welt Online, the Web
edition of the German daily Die Welt.
"Europe must make demands of the Cuban government," Zapatero said in a
brief interview with Welt Online, which also mentioned the recent
expulsion from the island of a Spanish member of the European
Parliament, Luis Yañez.
The Spanish premier said that "the subject of Cuba will not lead to any
controversy during the next six months within the EU."
Welt Online noted, however, that up to now the Zapatero government has
shown itself in favor of the EU abandoning its hard line towards the
Havana authorities to help support the promised reforms of Raul Castro,
who formally succeeded ailing older brother Fidel almost two years ago.
This approach has been resisted above all by some former Soviet-bloc
nations that are now EU members, which are against extending a hand to
Cuba because of the permanent persecution of those in opposition to the
Castro regime. EFE
Latin American Herald Tribune - Cuba Policy Not on Spain's Agenda for EU
Presidency (9 January 2010)
http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=350101&CategoryId=14510
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