EU's Ferrero-Waldner departs Cuba without meeting Raul (misleading headline!)

[Judi Lynn]

EU's Ferrero-Waldner departs Cuba without meeting Raul
Posted : Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:32:38 GMT
Author : DPA

Havana - The European Union's commissioner of external relations Benita Fererero-Waldner left Cuba after making a surprise visit to the Caribbean island, but she did not meet with President Raul Castro, officials confirmed Friday. Castro had just returned from a long journey through Africa Thursday morning and was apparently unable to meet with her.

In her meeting with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, she discussed the EU's intention to review relations between the Europeans and the communist island. Rodriguez said Cuba was prepared to cooperate and intensify its dialogue with the EU, conditioned on the EU's non-interference in Cuba's internal affairs.

Ferrero-Waldner made the stop at the end of a larger Latin America journey that included Argentina and Mexico.

The EU normalized their relations with Cuba in June 2008 after a five-year freeze prompted by Cuba's crackdown on 75 opposition dissidents. Relations improved after the long-time revolutionary leader Fidel Castro stepped aside in February 2008 for his brother to take power, but the EU reserved the right to review Cuba's human rights situation as a condition for continuing aid.

Along with normalization, the EU has committed 37 million euros (52.4 million dollars) until 2011. The EU also sent 4.5 million euros to Havana after last year's destructive hurricane season.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/278884,eus-ferrero-waldner-departs-cuba-without-meeting-raul.html