Cuba, EU agree new talks in March: European sources

Cuba and the European Union have agreed to meet in early March for a third round of negotiations aimed at normalising ties, EU sources said Wednesday, less than a month after a historic breakthrough between Havana and Washington. The EU and Cuba, which began normalisation talks last year after ties were suspended in 2003, had initially planned to hold a third round in December before they were called off twice. “The EU condition is that Cuba does not ask for restrictions on the subjects discussed, particularly on human rights issues and the role of civil society,” the diplomat said. EU-Cuban ties were suspended in 2003 when Havana launched a crackdown and jailed 75 dissidents in a direct response to calls for liberalisation and greater respect for human rights.