French foreign minister on historic visit to Cuba

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - France's foreign minister was expected to arrive in Cuba on Saturday for a brief but historic visit, the first by such a high-ranking French official in 30 years and a sign of the quickening pace of improving ties between the European Union and Havana.

Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius was scheduled to have a working lunch with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez before meeting with Cardinal Jaime Ortega and then French businessmen.

Rodriguez met with Laurent in Paris last month.

"We expect him to discuss the start of a political dialogue that will include human rights, and business opportunities provided by economic reforms on the island," a French diplomat said, adding that no agreements would be signed.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/04/12/uk-cuba-france-idUKBREA3B06S20140412

[ucrdem]

1. Interesting. Hollande incidentally is in Mexico today

arrived yesterday for a 2-day visit:


President of France Franois Hollande arrives in Mexico City


The French president arrives in Mexico as part of a two day state visit to Mexico with purpose of restore diplomatic relations between both nations after the controversial legal case of the French citizen Florence Cassez.

The state visit of Francois Hollande has the historical context of the fiftieth anniversary of the triumphant visit that the French general and president Charles De Gaulle (1890-1970) performed to Mexico in March 1964.

During his visit and meeting with Mexican President, Enrique Peña Nieto, will be signed different agreements and documents related to the sectors of education, health, aviation, infrastructure, security and energy. . . .

France is the 16th trading partner of Mexico and could become one of the earliest as an ally to modernize and update the free trade agreement with the European Union.

http://www.demotix.com/news/4431799/president-france-fran-ois-hollande-arrives-mexico-city#media-4431747
...........

Look like they're focusing on Latin American markets.

[EC]

2. The way Putin is behaving

this is a good thing and maybe we should follow example. We should learn from the Bay of Pigs and make sure we have eyes and people on the ground in Cuba. It would be much better if Cuba was brought into the fold with us and the EU instead of Russia.

[dipsydoodle]

3. Yes - should learn from the Bay of Pigs and keep your noses out.

Cuba never lost all ties with Russia and is growing closer to China. China is Cuba's second largest trading partner after Venezuela.

From 2012 :

Cuba seeks strong trade ties with China.

Cuba has signed a series of economic agreements with China coinciding with a visit to Beijing by leader Raul Castro.

The four-day visit, which began on Thursday, has offered Castro a first-hand look at Chinese economic reforms.

The pacts inked on Thursday include a grant and interest-free loan to the Cuban government for economic and technological co-operation.

They also inculde a credit line to support Cuban health care and other public services, but further details were not given.

The signings followed talks in which Castro told Hu Jintao, China's president, that relations between the two nations were deepening and broadening.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2012/07/2012775380851346.html

From 2008 :

Cuba and Russia sign trade deals

Cuba and Russia have signed a series of bilateral trade and economic accords, in the latest sign of strengthening ties between the two countries.

The accords were signed during a visit by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin - his third trip to the Caribbean island in three months.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7719436.stm

and late 2013 :

Russia forgives $29 billion of Cuban debt from Soviet era

Russia and Cuba have quietly signed an agreement to write off 90 percent of Cuba's $32 billion debt to the defunct Soviet Union, a deal that ends a 20-year dispute and opens the way for more investment and trade, Russian and European diplomats told Reuters news agency.

The nations announced an agreement to settle the debt squabble earlier this year and finalized the deal in Moscow in October. It would have Cuba pay $3.2 billion over 10 years in exchange for Russia forgiving the rest of the $32 billion debt, the diplomats said.

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/12/10/russia-forgives-29billionincubadebt.html

[hack89]

4. Cuba will be screwed as VZ's economy continues to go down the drain

They depend on billions of dollars worth of subsidies. I am sure on of the topics VZ opposition leaders will bring up in talks with Maduro is why is the government wasting all that money when there are food shortages in VZ.