EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel relaunched political talks with Cuba's Communist government on Friday, hoping to turn the page on a two-year rift over human rights. Michel's visit is the most senior by a EU official since Cuba locked up 75 pro-democracy dissidents in March 2003, just days after the EU opened an embassy in Havana. Michel met with Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque at the start of a three-day visit to Havana that includes meetings with dissident leaders and wives of imprisoned critics of President Fidel Castro. "My presence here is proof of the European Union's desire to deepen its ties with Cuba and reopen political dialogue so that we can have a real process of political, economic and cultural cooperation," Michel said. The former Belgian foreign minister said the 25-state EU wanted to become a partner of Cuba once again. He was due to meet National Assembly President Ricardo Alarcon later in the day. No meeting with Castro is planned. --More 2241 Local Time 1941 GMT
