High Representative of E.U. Demands End of U.S. Blockade of Cuba

HAVANA, Cuba, Mar 11 (acn) Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union (E.U.) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-president of the European Commission, said today in this capital that the blockade imposed on Cuba by the United States is an obstacle that must end.

The blockade is a measure that belonged to another century. Today, properties are dialogue and cooperation, underlined Mogherini to reporters after carrying out the seventh session of the ministerial political dialogue together with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez.
He highlighted that the E.U. position is key, "we do not accept that European companies are penalized," pointed out the top official at the headquarters of the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For his part, Rodriguez stressed that the E.U. is and will continue to be an important partner for Cuba, a region with which the Cuban nation has historic and cultural bonds.
She informed that they also agreed to continue dialogue between Cuba and the E.U. on human rights, a mechanism that had its first meeting on June last year, "extremely productive and respectful," based on the universal, indivisible and non-selective nature of political, economic, social and cultural rights and civil liberties, she emphasized.
On Friday, Cuba and the E.U. also concluded the negotiations for the joint Agreement on Political Dialogue and Cooperation, which will be subject to consultation by both parties for its subsequent signing.
According to the official website of the Cuban Foreign Ministry, negotiations between the island and the E.U. began in April, 2014, as a result of the decision adopted by the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the bloc, on February 10 the same year, of inviting to Cuba to start talks.