EU lifts Cuba sanctions
2008-06-23 21:39
Luxembourg - The European Union officially lifted its sanctions against Cuba, the Slovenian presidency of the bloc said on Monday, in the hope of encouraging democracy on the island in the post-Fidel Castro era.
"The problems that came up during the day have been resolved. The decision has been adopted," a spokesperson for the presidency said, referring to a procedural obstacle that had briefly delayed the move.
He explained that the wrong version of the text for the decision had been presented to EU ministers, causing a delay. The Swedish delegation noticed that an annex with conditions on the lifting of the sanctions had been omitted.
The measure was a largely symbolic political move as the EU 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.
- AFP