Havana: The European Union does not seek a regime change in communist Cuba, but expects progress on human rights, a visiting EU official said after meeting with Cuban President Raul Castro.
"The EU's goal, its policy, is not to instigate a regime change in Cuba," European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Karel De Gucht told reporters at the close of his four-day visit here.
He said he told Castro during their "very frank" two-hour discussions that Europe insists that Cuba make some progress on human rights issues.
"We agree that the definition of human rights varies from country to country, but there is a set of fundamental rights that are universal" in scope, he said.
De Gucht said he made clear to Castro that the EU's so-called Common Position towards Cuba "can only change... if there is a consensus" among the EU's 27 members.
"It depends on the EU and it's up to Cuba to create the right conditions for that evolution," he said.
The EU suspended ties with Cuba after a major roundup of 75 dissidents in March 2003, but resumed aid cooperation in 2008.
Havana opposes the so-called Common Position of the EU states which in 1996 called for human rights and democracy progress in Cuba as a condition for normal relations with the European bloc.
On Tuesday, De Gucht called on Cuba to make some gesture to improve its human rights record, particularly on political prisoners.
Cuba denies having any political prisoners and considers the opposition leaders it keeps behind bars to be agents or mercenaries working for the United States.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, November 05, 2009, 11:58