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MADRID,
Spain (AP) -
pain's prime minister cautioned Cuba on Friday against
backing off from dialogue with the European Union after
the U.N. Human Rights Commission approved a resolution criticizing
Havana's record.
European
nations backed the U.S.-sponsored resolution Thursday in
Geneva, prompting Cuba's foreign minister to warn that their
support for the measure endangered a recent warming in relations
and could prompt a return to a diplomatic freeze.
"I
think that what the government of Cuba should do is listen
to what is being said by the international community,"
said Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero,
whose Socialist government has led moves to increase dialogue
with Cuba while still underscoring human rights concerns.
"The
government of Cuba should not, in my opinion, go down the
road that it may have insinuated yesterday after hearing
of the United Nations' formulation," Zapatero told
a news conference marking his first year in office. Spain
is currently not a member of the U.N. commission.
Spain's
push for stronger ties with Havana has been an irritant
in relations between Madrid and Washington, along with Madrid's
sale of military equipment to Venezuela and Zapatero's withdrawal
last year of Spanish troops from Iraq.
Zapatero's
relationship with U.S. President George W. Bush remains
cool, but the two governments are moving to strengthen working
ties.
On
Friday, Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos - the first
of five ministers due to visit Washington in the coming
months - met with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Moratinos described the meeting as "useful," saying
that the two officials discussed the Mideast peace process
and the fight against terrorism.
"We
also talked about Latin America, where we decided to work
together and look for those common objectives of democracy
and freedom that are necessary," he said in comments
shown on Spanish television.
In
Madrid, Zapatero said that "the working relationship
on concrete questions ... functions, and it works as it
should function between two countries that are allies."
Zapatero
did not mention Bush. However, in an interview with Cadena
Ser radio this week, he stressed that "at whatever
moment Mr. Bush wants, I will obviously be open to dialogue."
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