Havana--French President Francois Hollande on Monday called for an end to the US embargo on Cuba, during the first visit by a Western leader to the island since Washington and Havana moved to restore ties.
Addressing the half-century-old trade embargo ahead of meetings with Fidel and Raul Castro, the brothers who have ruled Cuba since its 1959 revolution, Hollande said France will do whatever possible to see that "the measures that have so badly harmed Cuba's development can finally be lifted, repealed."
Hollande said his trip came "at a particularly important but also uncertain time," as the United States seeks to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba and European countries scramble to reinforce ties.
Hollande's Cuba trip, the first ever by a French leader, has highlighted the simultaneously cooperative and competitive relationship between the United States and the European Union as both look to start doing more business with Havana.
Asked if US President Barack Obama would follow suit and make his own visit, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said: "I think the president has indicated that he does not envision a trip to Cuba anytime in the near future. But I certainly wouldn't rule it out over the course of next year now."
Since announcing in December that the United States and Cuba would move to renew ties, Obama has used executive authority to relax parts of the embargo, including restrictions on travel and on sending money to the island.
He has urged Congress to lift the full embargo, in place since 1962, but, with both houses controlled by his Republican opponents, he faces an uphill political battle.
Cuba says "the blockade" has cost it more than $100 billion.
AFP
