Are there any tyrants the Europeans won't appease?

CUBA: DIPLOMATIC DEADLOCK WITH EUROPEANS OVER A thaw in the frosty relations between Europe and Cuba gathered speed after Cuba reopened official contacts with the embassies of eight European nations on Monday, including France, Britain and Germany, Reuters reported. Relations have been tense since the European Union began pressing Cuba to free dissidents jailed in March 2003. Last year the European embassies began inviting opponents of the government of Fidel Castro to their diplomatic cocktail parties, and Cuba cut off relations with them. Spain, which has extensive investments in Cuba, worked to broker a truce between Mr. Castro and European leaders. President Castro released 14 of the 75 jailed dissidents, and a European Union panel recommended this month that the practice of inviting dissidents to parties be dropped in favor of more discreet contacts. James C. McKinley Jr. (NYT)

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