BRUSSELS, Jan 10 (AFP) - The European Union's executive Commission on Monday welcomed Cuba's decision to renew ties, and said it would quickly send a top official to discuss future bilateral relations.
The decision by Havana "should open new possibilities in the relations between the Union and Cuba," European Commission President Jose Manuel Durao Barroso said in a statement.
Brussels will send humanitarian aid and development commissioner Louis Michel to Havana soon to discuss bilateral relations, said the statement.
Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque said Monday in Havana that Cuba had decided to renew ties with the European Union as well as all EU countries.
The EU froze relations with the communist government in June 2003 following a crackdown on opposition to President Fidel Castro. Seventy-five dissidents were rounded up and jailed for terms of between six and 28 years.
Fourteen dissidents have since been freed in a move seen partly as a gesture to win over EU nations.
The renewal follows "the respectful request" made by the governments of Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg -- which currently holds the EU presidency -- and by EU commissioner Louis Michel, Perez Roque said.
Cuba began reestablishing ties with individual EU members in November when Spain sought better relations.
Last week it renewed ties with eight EU members that stopped inviting dissidents to official embassy functions.
01/10/2005 19:08 GMT - AFP