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EU development chief Michel urges Cuba
to turn page, open new dialogue
HAVANA, 25 (AFP) - EU development chief
Louis Michel urged Cuba to turn the page
on past tensions and start a new dialogue
with the European Union.
"In my opinion, I don't think it is
necessary to spend more time on past difficulties.
I think that the important thing is that
today there already are several specific
elements, and there is an expression of
a very strong will to see our relations
consolidates, relaunched," Michel said
with Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque
looking on.
Michel's visit comes as part of a new EU
outreach to Cuba -- the only one-party state
in the Americas -- after the EU temporarily
suspended in January sanctions it had slapped
on Havana in June 2003 following a crackdown
on dissidents.
In March and April 2003, Cuban authorities
rounded up and imprisoned 75 dissidents,
and later executed three Cubans convicted
of trying to hijack a ferry to the United
States, sparking broad international criticism.
Michel was due to meet Friday with Cuban
National Assembly speaker Ricardo Alarcon,
and on Saturday was expected to meet with
Cardinal Jaime Ortega, academics and dissidents,
dissident sources said.
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