June 24, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 19, 1429

BRUSSELS, June 23: EU nations on Monday definitively lifted their sanctions against Cuba, in the hope of encouraging democracy on the island in the post-Fidel era.

The measure was a largely symbolic political move as the European Union sanctions have been suspended since 2005.

The political decision was taken by EU foreign ministers at a meeting last Thursday but the move received formal endorsement at a meeting of European agriculture ministers in Luxembourg.

The European Union has demonstrated its independence from Washington on foreign policy matters with a move to lift its diplomatic sanctions against Cuba, a Spanish government official in Madrid said on Monday.

“The EU has shown its independence and its autonomy on foreign policy because, before and after the decision, there were statements from the White House indicating its direct opposition,” said Spain’s secretary of state for the EU, Diego Lopez Garrido.

“The White House has made it known to EU countries that it does not like this move at all,” he told a news conference, but Brussels “has shown it is capable of ... choosing its own foreign policy path.” EU agriculture ministers meeting in Luxembourg had been due to approve the lifting of EU sanctions Monday in a move aimed at encouraging democracy on the island in the post-Fidel Castro era.

But a “clerical error” delayed the final approval, a Swedish diplomatic source said.

The sanctions, which restricted high-level diplomatic contacts and offered symbolic support for political dissidents, were imposed in 2003 after Cuba jailed 75 political dissidents and executed three young Cubans who had attempted to escape to the United States.

The lifting of the sanctions is largely a symbolic political move as the measures have been suspended since 2005.

Washington has already said it is “disappointed” by the EU decision favouring Cuba, which it said remains an authoritarian regime despite recent reforms.

Lopez Garrido said the lifting of sanctions was “a move forward that eases dialogue with Cuba” and could lead to the signing of cooperation accords with Havana.

Since it first came to power in 2004, Spain’s Socialist government has promoted a policy of constructive engagement towards Cuba, which is at odds with Washington’s strategy of isolating the communist regime. —AFP