HAVANA, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Cuban lawmakers and government officials rejected on Thursday the EU Parliament's "interventionist" stance on human rights while also celebrating the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement approved by the EU on Wednesday.
Elio Rodriguez, head of European and Canadian relations at the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called the adoption of the agreement "positive."
Rodriguez also said Cuba would seek to expand relations with the EU in areas of common interest.
On Wednesday, when the deal was passed, EU lawmaker Elena Valenciano said that "Europe has a great opportunity to demonstrate to the United States...that it is possible to maintain the highest level of expectations on Cuba."
However, the Cuban foreign ministry official slammed the EU for its "unnecessary and interfering...resolution on human rights to ensure that the new bilateral relations will improve the lives of Cubans."
The clause warns that the cooperation agreement will be suspended in case Cuba violates its human rights provisions.
Rodriguez dismissed this as being "harmful to the principles of respect, equality and reciprocity contained in the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement."
