Dr. Reinhold Lopatka, President of the Subcommittee on European Affairs and Vice-President of the Foreign Policy Commission of the Austrian Federal Parliament, received the Cuban Ambassador in that country, Juan Antonio Fernández Palacios, in a cordial meeting at the legislative headquarters.
The Ambassador highlighted the positive moment in which the relations between Cuba and the European Union are, with the beginning of the provisional implementation of the Agreement on Political Dialogue and Cooperation (ADPC) signed between Cuba and the European blockade last year and thanked the Austrian support for this process. The Agreement is in the process of being ratified by the Parliaments of the Member States of the EU, including that of Austria.
Fernández Palacios also offered updated information on Cuba and the state of Cuba-United States relations, of interest to the Austrian Parliamentarian.
Lopatka is a member of the Popular Party Fraction (ÖVP), the main political force of the current Austrian government coalition. As leader of the parliamentary faction, he joined the official delegation of the Federal President of Austria Heinz Fischer, who visited Cuba in March 2016, in commemoration of the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations.
Both authorities expressed their willingness to continue relations between the respective Parliaments and Governments.
(Embacuba Austria / Cubaminrex)