Spanish Foreign Minister on Official Visit to Cuba

Spain´s foreign minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo arrived in Havana on Sunday on his first official visit here aimed at addressing bilateral relations and international issues, such as the upcoming Ibero-American Summit and negotiations between Havana and the European Union. In brief statements to reporters after his arrival in Havana, Garcia-Margallo said that “there are many issues” to address in this visit and he noted that relations between Spain and Cuba “probably are some of the closest ones we can have in the world.”
 
Margallo´s agenda includes talks with Cuban authorities on consular and migration issues, and economic topics, due to the important commercial relations between Cuba and Spain.
 
As to the international arena, the Spanish foreign minister will address the Ibero-American Summit to be held in December in Veracruz, Mexico. “Veracruz success will be of key importance for us,” he noted.
 
The Spanish foreign minister and Cuban authorities will address ongoing negotiations to reach a cooperation accord between the island and the European Union, and the conference between the European bloc and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, to be held in 2015.
 
During his visit, which is the first visit by a Spanish foreign minister to Cuba since 2010, Margallo will meet with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez, with foreign trade and investment minister Rodrigo Malmierca and with government vice-president Ricardo Cabrisas.