By Antonio Martinez

HAVANA – Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said Sunday in Havana that the aim of his second visit to Cuba was to strengthen bilateral relations and prepare for Spain’s assumption of the rotating European Union presidency during the first half of 2010.

Moratinos said that his first visit to the communist island two-and-a-half years ago came about “in the context in which Cuba was isolated from the international community” and opened “a new road, a new way of strengthening relations” with this country, which has “enormous importance” for Spain.

“On this second visit, I can express that it’s normal to visit Cuba. Not just the Spanish foreign minister, but there have been many European, Latin American visitors, presidents, heads of state, ministers,” Moratinos said.

The 2007 trip “was a controversial visit,” but now “it’s a normal visit, which has as its objective to continue strengthening relations with a great country for Spain, such as Cuba is, and it also is an opportunity to continue preparing (for) the Spanish presidency of the European Union,” Moratinos said.

Spain in 2008 pushed for the lifting of diplomatic sanctions imposed by the EU on the Havana government in 2003, as a result of three executions and the imprisonment of 75 dissidents, two-thirds of whom remain behind bars.

Those sanctions were limited to reducing official visits to the island and inviting dissidents to cocktail parties at European embassies, something that U.S. diplomats – but not the Europeans – continue to do.

But Cuba does not feel that relations with Europe are fully normalized as yet, because of the maintenance of the “common position” approved in 2003 at the request of former conservative Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, and Moratinos supports eliminating that obstacle as well.

The minister, who arrived late Saturday night in Havana, on Sunday began his working agenda with a stroll through Old Havana, where he told journalists at the end of his walk that he had noted “the weight Spain has in this country,”

Afterwards he met with the archbishop of Havana, Cardinal Jaime Ortega, and held a working luncheon with his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodriguez, “to continue consolidating a relationship of trust and mutual respect,” the Spanish foreign minister said.

Although Moratinos’ initial agenda said that on Sunday he would engage in a “private program,” ultimately the day became an intense workday for the Spaniard that will conclude in the evening with a meeting with Cuban intellectuals and artists at the residence of the Spanish ambassador, Manuel Cacho.

The agenda includes meetings on Monday with Cuba’s foreign and foreign trade ministers – Rodriguez and Rodrigo Malmierca, respectively – and a meeting with the country’s president, Gen. Raul Castro, and his predecessor and older brother, Fidel.

No major news is expected out of the visit, and no signings of any accords are planned. Moreover, no controversy is expected during the visit because once again Moratinos will avoid coming in contact with any of the island’s internal dissident faction, whose representatives have said that they will not be attempting to speak with the Spaniard.

On the agenda for the meetings will be discussions on arranging a possible visit to Cuba by Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

Moratinos announced that visit in 2008, saying that it would happen this year, but it is almost impossible to imagine that it could occur before the ending of Spain’s EU presidency in June 2010, Spanish diplomats said.