The Cotonou agreement

Countries of the European Union account for some 40 per cent of Cuba's trade as well as much of its foreign investment and tourism. The EU provides Cuba's Communist government with €15 million (about Lm6 million) a year in development aid.

The euro currency is also legal tender at the island's tourist resorts.

To set the seal on this flourishing relationship, the European Union has just opened its new offices in a beautiful mansion in Miramar, Havana's least shabby neighbourhood.

Cuba wants to join the Cotonou agreement, which provides a preferential trade and aid pact, that will include 78 former European colonies.

The European Commission and the Cotonou countries have endorsed Cuba's application but still the EU's members are divided because this agreement might aspire to close certain political cooperation among its members, while Cuba remains a one-party state.

In the case of Malta, a democratic state with a young Constitution of its own and with two strong democratically elected political parties, we can easily opt to negotiate similar agreements, partnership or preferential trade pacts, call it whatever you like, tailored to our size and needs.

Taking the obligatory burden of full membership is not our unique option.

In contrast to Cuba, Malta with its democratic parliamentary system and full respect for human rights enshrined in our Constitution, can definitely avail itself through such agreements in line with the Labour Party's alternative "partnership".