EU, Cuba sign agreement to normalize relations

Friday, 16/12/2016 16:25
The European Union (EU) and Cuba have signed an agreement on normalizing relations.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla (right) and EU Foreign Affairs Chief Federica Mogherini (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Cuban and EU leaders signed this deal to normalize relations, change interaction between the two sides on human rights issues and eventually increase already existing business ties.

The new agreement was signed by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, EU Foreign Affairs Chief Federica Mogherini, and representatives from the 28 EU member states at a Brussels ceremony capping years of difficult negotiations.

"It's a historic day," Mogherini said during a formal ceremony before signing the agreement along with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla. "Today we recognize that there's been change in Cuba," she added.

In 2003, the EU had imposed sanctions on Cuba and suspended cooperation over a crackdown on journalists and activists, and it took until 2008 to get talks going again.

Cuba had been the only Latin American country that did not have a so-called "dialogue and cooperation" deal with the EU covering issues such as trade, human rights and migration./.

 

Compiled by BTA

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