Spanish EU presidency focuses on Cuba, economy

When Spain takes over the revolving presidency on Friday, Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero will become the first leader of an EU country to have to share the top table with the bloc's first president, Herman Van Rompuy.

But Zapatero's government intends to leave its own mark, and will seek a new bilateral agreement on EU-Cuba ties despite objections from its two immediate predecessors -- Sweden and the Czech Republic -- and Cuban human rights groups.

Madrid has long been in the forefront of efforts to boost relations with Cuba, a former Spanish colony.

It wants to see an end to the EU's Common Position on Cuba, adopted in 1996, which calls for progress on human rights and democracy before normalising relations.

Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos told parliament last week that the EU would be "making a mistake" if it continued to base its relations with the Communist island on this "diplomatic instrument", adding "a firm and respectful dialogue is the best way" to encourage progress in Cuba.

He said the number of political prisoners in Cuba has dropped from 300 to 200 and he argued that Raul Castro, who took over the Cuban presidency from his ailing older brother Fidel in February 2008, has shown a desire for reform that should be encouraged.

But Ernesto Gutierrez Tamargo, general secretary of the Spanish Federation of Cuban Associations (FECU), told AFP it is "a very serious mistake" to change the EU's position, arguing that Cuba has met the open hand extended by US President Barack Obama with "contempt" and would do the same to Europe.

The focus on Cuba will be part of a wider effort by Spain to boost the EU's ties with Latin America during its presidency of the bloc.

Zapatero has said Spain will seek to boost trade agreements between the EU and its former colonies Colombia and Peru and will seek to reach association agreements between the bloc and Central America.

Spain also wants to step up the fight against terrorism, nuclear proliferation and piracy off the coast of Somalia as well as introduce pan-European measures to combat domestic violence.

On the economic front, Zapatero and Van Rompuy have agreed to hold an informal meeting of heads of EU states in early February to discuss economic reforms.

During recent trip to Athens as part of a tour of Europe's capitals to explain Spain's priorities, Zapatero said Madrid would encourage a new growth model for the EU based on a "greener, more productive and competitive economy".

Spain boasts several leading companies in the area of renewable energy like wind and solar power and last month it unveiled a sweeping reform package designed to reduce its economy's reliance on the construction sector and usher in a more sustainable growth model.

The country has been one of the worst hit by the global downturn and is taking over the presidency of the 27-nation EU just as the bloc's long-term growth strategy -- known as the Lisbon Agenda -- is due to expire next year.

The unemployment rate in the entire EU rose to 9.3 percent in October, representing 22.5 million people, from 7.3 percent during the same time last year, according to EU statistic agency Eurostat.

The jobless rate in individual member states varies from lows of 3.7 percent in the Netherlands and 4.7 percent in Austria to highs of 20.9 percent in Latvia and 19.3 percent in Spain.