Cuba aspires to a participatory dialogue at the CELAC-EU Summit

 HAVANA, Cuba, Jul 17 (ACN) The Cuban delegation to the 3rd Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) - European Union (EU) Summit, which takes place today and tomorrow in Brussels, aims to make the meeting a space for serious, participatory and plural dialogue, where joint solutions can be identified, despite the differences.

This was stated by the Presidency of the island, in an article published on its website, where it highlights the position expressed by Cuban foreign minister, Bruno Rodriguez, to attend the event with a constructive spirit and willing to contribute as much as possible to strengthen, on the basis of equality and respect, dialogue and cooperation between CELAC and the EU.

These principles have been defended by Latin American and Caribbean countries since the first meeting between the two regions took place in 1999 in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, which was attended on behalf of Cuba by Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz.

However, the first occasion in which both parties were represented by specific and own organizations was in January 2013, in Santiago de Chile, where the 1st CELAC-EU Summit was held, and at the head of the Cuban delegation was Army General Raul Castro Ruz, then President of the Councils of State and Ministers.

Two years later, in the second of these events, Miguel Diaz-Canel represented Cuba in his capacity as first vice president of the Councils of State and Ministers.

Regarding the 3rd Summit, the general director of Multilateral Affairs and International Law of the Foreign Ministry, Rodolfo Benitez in an interview with the press team of the Presidency stated that at the height of the current context, any serious evaluation would inevitably have to conclude that the bi-regional relationship is at an unsatisfactory moment.

He added that Cuba's position is that beyond the differences, it is not only possible, but also necessary to build a better relationship between Latin America and the Caribbean and Europe, and this Summit offers the possibility of moving towards a fairer, more balanced, more supportive and more cooperative relationship.

We bring to this Summit hard lessons learned during COVID-19, said the expert, because although there were important examples of noble gestures and solidarity, the truth is that during the pandemic, selfishness, fierce competition and the profit motive prevailed, in terms of hoarding of vaccines and essential medical equipment.

The diplomat stressed that Cuba will defend at the meeting the call to work on cooperation projects in strategic areas of common interest, including those related to food security, energy, digitization, the fight against climate change and others.

We will also promote our trade relations and investments, placing greater emphasis on development, he added.

According to Benitez, Cuba is also attending this meeting to express its gratitude because the countries of both regions have maintained a position of rejection and condemnation of the criminal blockade imposed by the United States, as well as its inclusion in the unilateral list of nations allegedly co-sponsors of terrorism.

That is why in Brussels, the diplomat noted, the Cuban delegation will emphasize the need for more spaces to talk, to exchange, to discuss in a respectful manner the discrepancies and to better understand each other.

This is a need that Cuba will also be supporting at the Summit of the People, which in parallel to the 3rd CELAC Summit will unite political and social movements committed to the construction of an alternative development model on both sides of the Atlantic, the executive remarked.

This forum will be a very important exercise, because it also constitutes a pressure mechanism to give visibility to the best positions defended by large majorities, often marginalized in their countries, Benitez continued.
A group of representatives of Cuban civil society organizations will be participating as a contribution to this important event and to the much-needed plural debate.