Havana, Nov 6 (EFE) Cuba must carry out democratic reforms in the country as a step to normalise relations with the European Union (EU), an official of the 27-member bloc said.
EU aid commissioner Karel de Gucht made the remarks after ending his five-day visit to Cuba Thursday.

The official described his talks with Cuban President Raul Castro as “very open, frank and constructive” and said “the EU’s position is not regime change in Cuba”.

“Human rights differ from one country to another”, but “there’s a core of basic rights that is universal”, and that, more progress is needed in this front, he told reporters before boarding a plane to Brussels.

De Gucht said the US’ 47-year-old economic embargo on Cuba had been “an ineffective tool for international relations”.

The EU lifted its largely symbolic sanctions against Cuba, imposed five years ago, for jailing 75 dissidents. The move led to the resumption of aid to the Communist nation.

Cuba, however, rejected EU’s demand that it first improve the human rights situation in the country before normalising ties with the European bloc.

Currently, the two sides cooperate on projects worth 40 million euros ($59.4 million).

On Thursday, Spain’s secretary of state for EU affairs Diego Lopez Garrido said in Madrid that Europe should completely normalise ties with Cuba.