The text asks if the promoters of this farce would be willing to demand that the U.S. government end this aggressive policy which, through the end of March 2020, caused accumulated damages to the Cuban economy amounting to 144,413,400,000 dollars. “Are they also willing to defend European natural and legal persons affected by the increasing extraterritoriality of the blockade? Will they ask their U.S. counterparts to repeal the Helms-Burton Act? Will they demand the elimination of the 243 measures adopted by former President Donald Trump, which the current U.S. administration maintains in effect?

It is shameful that a group of representatives has promoted the inclusion of this issue as part of the agenda of the European Parliament. European voters and the international community in general would expect objectivity and impartiality from the European legislature, instead of selectivity and double standards when examining issues related to human rights, when every day events occur that touch the universal conscience, about which the European Parliament has maintained and continues to maintain a complicit, immoral silence, reads the embassy’s communiqué, published on the Cuban Foreign Ministry’s website.

This obsession with Cuba has an explanation. It reflects the agenda of the United States government which has been attempting to overthrow the Cuban Revolution for more than 60 years, unable to tolerate the existence of a people that does surrender to their designs and resists the ironclad blockade, criminally tightened in the midst of a global pandemic, the Cuban mission emphasized.

The statement pointed out that this anti-Cuban maneuver is also intended to hinder relations between Cuba, the European Union and member states, to undermine the implementation of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement, which is being implemented in a positive manner, making clearly evident the political will of the signatories to continue building bridges between our peoples and governments.

(Taken from Granma)

Through his Twitter account, the Minister of Foreign Affairs reported on his participation in the Informal Ministerial Meeting of the European Union with Latin America and the Caribbean (EU-LAC) that takes place virtually.

‘I reiterated the importance of safeguarding the Celac-European Union Mechanism and preventing the exclusion of countries from the area, such as Venezuela,’ the foreign minister wrote.

In this tweet, Rodríguez refers to the links of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) with the European bloc, a dialogue that was resumed after 2011.

According to the website of the island’s Foreign Ministry, the EU-LAC meeting addresses the need for a joint response to Covid-19, as well as the use of new information and communication technologies in that context.

Initiatives to face climate change and multilateral cooperation in post-pandemic recovery are also valued, taking into account the different levels of development of the nations of both regions.

According to specialized sources, the Latin America and the Caribbean-European Union summits have science, research, innovation and technology among their main topics; sustainable development; Regional integration; migrations; education and employment; among others.

(Taken from Prensa Latina)

In the meeting, the Cuban delegation together with the rest of the delegations will hold talks on the need of a joint response to Covid-19, as well as the use of new information and communication technologies, in that context.

They will also discuss the initiatives to tackle climate change, and post-pandemic multilateral cooperation, which takes into account the different development levels in our nations, the source pointed out.

(Taken from Prensa Latina)

During the Council meeting, according to the official website of Cuba’s Foreign Ministry, the parties reviewed progress on implementation of the Agreement on Political Dialogue and Cooperation (ADPC), signed in 2016 between Cuba and the European Union and its member states.

Previously, on September 3, the first meeting of the Joint Committee between Cuba and the European Union, which assists the Council in fulfilling its functions and obligations, was also held in Havana. On this occasion, the Cuban delegation was headed by Emilio Lozada García, general director for Bilateral Affairs at the Foreign Ministry, and a European Union delegation, led by Hugo Sobral, deputy director for the Americas witin the European External Action Service.

The first Cuba-European Union Joint Council took place in Belgium on May 15, 2018. During the meeting, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla and the head of European diplomacy, Federica Mogherini, signed a cooperation agreement involving 18 million euros, to support the development of renewable energies in the Caribbean nation, Prensa Latina reported.

The high level meeting was agreed upon when the Agreement on Political Dialogue and Cooperation entered into effect November 1, 2017, with which a new framework was established for the ties between the Cuba and the regional bloc.

(Granma)

According to González Fraga, this First encounter, “will provide an opportunity to advance relations between Cuba and the regional bloc,” following on from their Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement signed in 2017.

On May 14, the European Council (EC) announced that it was ready to host the encounter, during which cooperation programs in the fields of energy, agriculture and others will be reviewed in efforts to consolidate the joint bilateral framework, established on the bases of respect, equality and reciprocity.

A press release from the EC notes that favorable conditions and opportunities exist to expand economic, trade, investment and cooperation relations, as well as the EU’s active and effective participation in Cuba’s socio-economic development plans.

According to data from the EU representation office in Havana, from 2008 through 2017, the bloc – composed of 28 countries – has financed projects on the island valued at around 120 million Euros, across sectors such as food security, renewable energy, exchanges between experts, and disaster preparation and response.

(Granma)

During her speech before the regional parliament, the head of the European diplomacy stressed the importance of the first joint council with the Caribbean nation, which ‘is scheduled for mid-May and will be an opportunity to consolidate and increase the actions carried out so far.’

This new stage is very promising. We will discuss with the Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez, the beginning of cooperation in areas such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and culture, he pointed out.

The Italian politician stressed that this latter sector has enormous potential in terms of increasing and deepening relations between the two sides.

She also indicated that during the meeting the negative consequences of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba for more than 50 years will be analyzed.

‘The EU’s position on that issue is very clear. We believe that this measure only harms the Cuban people and its economy,’ she assured.

On the other hand, she reiterated the bloc’s intentions to expand the exchange and strengthen its relations with Cuba.

(Prensa Latina)

The note also highlighted that Slovakia will be the first country in the European Union (EU) to adopt the pharmaceutical, since it was launched on the international market over 10 years ago.

According to statistics from the National Medical Information Center, 8,000 people currently suffer from diabetic foot ulcers in the European country.

Slovakia’s Health Minister Boris Bánovsk, stated that the goal is to offer citizens modern, specialist treatment, able to cure the condition and improve their quality of life.

The aim is to see the largest possible number of patients, who meet the indicated requirements, receive the treatment, noted the official.

Meanwhile, the Cuban doctors were received by State Secretary at Slovakia’s Ministry of Health Andrea Kalavská, while the island’s Ambassador to the country, Yamila Pita, was also present during the encounter.

Since being launched on the international market, Heberprot-P has been registered in more than 20 countries and used to treat some 250,000 people worldwide, according to figures provided by Cuban healthcare institutions.

The injectable medication, which speeds up the healing process in patients with diabetic foot ulcers and reduces the risk of lower limb amputation in almost 80% of cases, received the Intellectual Property gold medal awarded by the World Health Organization.

(Cubasí)

The document was signed by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, and EU Foreign Policy High Representative Federica Mogherini, representing the regional bloc’s member countries.

In statements made during the signing ceremony, Rodríguez and Mogherini noted the significance of the agreement which should contribute to the positive development of bilateral relations in the future.

The two diplomats held a meeting at the European Council’s headquarters in Brussels prior to the signing.

The Cuban Foreign Minister commented that economic ties with Europe will continue to be a priority for the island country focused on the construction of a sustainable and efficient economy.

Mogherini also highlighted Fidel Castro as an historic figure and conveyed condolences to the government and people of Cuba, on the occasion of the revolutionary leader’s death.

Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abelardo Moreno explained recently that the signing of this new agreement comes in the wake of the revocation of the so-called Common Position adopted by the EU in 1996, which was rejected by Cuba given its unilateral, interventionist, discriminatory nature.

(Prensa Latina)

Before signing the document, Rodríguez will hold a meeting with the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini.

The agreement to be signed between Havana and the EU follows the repeal of the Common Position adopted by the regional bloc in 1996, which since its adoption was firmly rejected by Cuba due to its unilateral, interventionist, selective and discriminatory nature, Deputy Foreign Minister Abelardo Moreno recently stated.

He also noted that this policy had been de facto superseded since 2008, as evidenced by the positive evolution in recent years of Cuba’s ties with the European Union and its member states.

According to the official, the Agreement will for the first time provide a reciprocal, respectful and mutually advantageous contractual framework for relations between the two parties, for the development of political dialogue and cooperation, including trade facilitation.

(Prensa Latina)