Havana, Cuba.- The High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, announced today in this capital details about the celebration of new exchanges between that regional bloc and Cuba.

As part of these meetings, we hope to discuss the holding of a joint council, since the legal framework for this has already been established, assured Mogherini at the headquarters of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, where he was received by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez.

The head of EU diplomacy thanked the warm welcome, and especially, ‘the progress made in 2017’ to strengthen relations between the Antillean nation and the bloc.

We have a very important agenda, both in terms of bilateral and multilateral relations. In the same way, new events have taken place in Latin America and Europe that we can also discuss, noted the official.

Mogherini also recalled that after the passage of Hurricane Irma through Cuba and other Caribbean islands, the European Union has been cooperating in pursuit of the recovery of those territories and will continue to do so in the future.

For his part,FM Bruno Rodriguez said that the visit of the European official is a promising sign of the links between the EU and Cuba.

The signing of the Agreement on Political Dialogue and Cooperation opened a new path, its entry into force since last November 1 was significant. We know the rectification process of the member states of the European bloc and we have all the disposition to move forward in the contractual framework that we have established by common agreement, stated the Cuban foreign minister.

Cuba has full diplomatic relations with the 28 member states of the EU.

In addition, it maintains a mechanism of political consultations between foreign ministries with 26 member countries and development cooperation actions with 22; as well as with the European Commission.