BRUSSELS - European Union states are nearing agreement on ending sanctions on Cuba in defiance of U.S. calls for continued pressure for democratic reform on the communist island, diplomats said on Tuesday.
Closed-door talks on the move are continuing as EU leaders host U.S. President George W. Bush for a farewell summit in Slovenia. EU foreign ministers could endorse the step at a meeting in Luxembourg next Monday, the envoys said.
EU negotiators cited changes in Cuba in the last year as a rationale for moving forward.
What is interesting about this is that these talks are taking place while George W. Bush is in Europe. It signals his weakness as a world leader and international rejection of his policy toward Cuba.
