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Spanish Foreign Policy and Cuba: Sailing between two waters

This paper examines the relationship between Spain, the European Union, and Cuba, exploring the challenges and opportunities in their foreign policy dynamics. It analyzes the factors that contribute to stability and instability in the relationship, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of their interactions. The paper also discusses Spain's role in influencing EU policy towards Cuba, and proposes strategies to improve coherence and effectiveness in their engagement. Ultimately, the paper concludes by acknowledging the unique nature of the Cuban context and its impact on foreign policy dynamics.

williamccameron
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Spanish Foreign Policy and Cuba: Sailing between two waters

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  1. Spanish Foreign Policy and Cuba: Sailing between two waters Engaging Cuba:  Policy Options for the United States, Europe, and the Western Hemisphere November 16, 2009 Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

  2. Between two continents • EULAC Summits • Iberoamerican Community

  3. Inter-mestic Affair • External policy • Internal Affair

  4. Between two policy oriented actions • constructive engagement • coercive policy

  5. Between pragmatism and voluntarism • Political voluntarism • Economic pragmatism

  6. Between public and private • Fluctuant official contacts • Stronger non official links

  7. stability and instability factors

  8. stability factors • Economic mutual interest • Wide net of institutional relations at different levels • Personal relations

  9. Instability factors • Political polarization • Unilateral conditionality • High arbitrariness in the policy behavior

  10. Weak points on the relationship • Constraints of Cuban economy • Low impact of cooperation policy • Lack of security on the rule of law • High bureaucracy burden • Lack of freedom rights and individual autonomy

  11. Stronger points • Stability in trade exchange and investisement flows • Cultural and scientific cooperation • Increasing number of actors involved and social links • Instrumentsto institutionalize the relationship • Tourism and other sectors

  12. Spain and EU Policy • Spain is a strong relevant actor in EU Cuba relationship • Inconsistencies of Spanish policy and other affects EU policy • Different positions of the principal European institutions • Unanimity rule on external relations decision making play against soft policies • Inconsistency of EU policy contribute to increase the relevance of other ac

  13. To improve coherence and effectiveness • Building internal EU consensus to work in medium term • Institutionalization of the relationship and reduce arbitrariness • Multilateral Human Rights monitoring • Support to economic reforms • Building social capital • Identify key actors for the transition process and facilitate dialogue for reconciliation

  14. Finish with the Cuban exceptionality Thank you

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