Madrid - The Spanish government sent the so-called Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement signed in December 2016 between the European Union and Cuba to the Spanish Parliament, for its analysis and approval.

In its weekly meeting Friday, the Spanish Ministers Council approved the sending of the Agreement to the Spanish General Courts (bicameral parliament), so that is why Spain turns into one of the first EU member countries in starting the steps for approval of the document.

In December 2016, the EU and Cuba started a new era of diplomatic relations, with the signing of the Agreement, which ended with the questioned Common Position, approved in 1996 by then Conservative Spanish government led by Jose Maria Aznar.

The objective is to establish a new institutional and steady frame for the relations between Cuba and Europe, and it will also be useful to foster a narrower cooperation and reinforce dialogues.

This legal instrument will consolidate and strengthen links between the parties in the fields of political dialogue, cooperation and trade, on the basis of mutual respect, reciprocity, common interest and respect for its sovereignty.

The Executive led by Mariano Rajoy stressed that the agreement represents an important step in the context of the progress taking place in the construction of an institutional framework updated between the European bloc and Latin America.

During his official visit to Spain last April, the Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez, expressed gratitude for the support of Madrid to the EU political dialogue process and the cessation of snactins by the United States against the Caribbean nation.