Towards a New Phase in Relations with the European Union

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.13169/intejcubastud.6.2.0120
• Published date: 01 December 2014
• Date: 01 December 2014
• Pages: 120-126
• Author: Carlos Alzugaray Treto,Translated by Stephen Wilkinson

I J  C S 6.2 W 2014

COMMENTARY

TOWARDS A NEW PHASE IN RELATIONS WITH

THE EUROPEAN UNION

Carlos Alzugaray Treto1

In June 2014, The European Union (EU) and Cuba began a series of negotiations

aimed at developing a new relationship with one another after more than a

decade of mistrust and mutual recrimination. The talks are aimed at f‌inally

arriving at an economic and commercial cooperation agreement that many

see as long overdue. Cuba remains the only country in Latin America and the

Caribbean with which the EU does not have such an accord. In this article,

kindly offered to us for publication by the Cuban Social Science magazine Temas,

foreign relations expert and former ambassador to the EU, Professor Carlos

Alzugaray Treto examines the reasons and possibilities for a rapprochement

between Brussels and Havana.

Some analysts are sceptical about the success of the resumed negotiations between

the European Union (EU) and Cuba, as neither of the parties has waived their

starting positions. Indeed, Europe has reiterated that ‘this is not a change in the

previous policy. As we support reform and modernization in Cuba, we have

consistently raised our concerns about human rights, which will remain at the

centre of this relationship’.2 As stated, ‘Cuba will consider the invitation from

the European side, in a respectful, constructive manner and remain bound to its

sovereignty and national interests’.3

However, the mere fact that these negotiations had commenced shows that

both Brussels and Havana are prioritising pragmatism and a willingness to create

meaningful economic and trade relations facilitated and channelled through a

legal instrument.

Of these diplomatic steps several questions arise: What are the interests of

Cuba in its relations with the EU and which policy has been followed to bring

them about? What are the interests of the EU and how it has sought to achieve

them? How important is it for Cuba to advance negotiations at this time when

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