CUBA: Cuban President Mr Fidel Castro has responded to European Union criticism of human rights abuses in Cuba by rejecting EU aid and closing the door on political contacts.
"Cuba does not need the aid of the European Union to survive," Mr Castro said in a speech to 10,000 supporters on Saturday marking the 50th anniversary of the assault he led on the Santiago army garrison that launched his leftist revolution.
In June the EU limited high-level bilateral government visits and reduced the profile of member states' participation in cultural events in Cuba. The European Commission also froze Havana's request to join the aid accord known as the Cotonou Agreement due to a crackdown on dissent in March.
"The government of Cuba, out of a basic sense of dignity, relinquishes any aid or remnant of humanitarian aid that may be offered by the European Commission and the governments of the European Union," Mr Castro said.
He said Cuba would only accept aid from regional or local governments, NGOs and solidarity movements in Europe "which do not impose political conditions on Cuba."
The European Commission said yesterday it regretted the rejection of EU aid and pledged to continue to support the country's people.
The diplomatic freeze followed the jailing of 75 dissidents and the execution in April of three Cubans who hijacked a ferry in an attempt to reach the United States. Mr Castro accused European nations of ganging up on Cuba with the United States, which has maintained sanctions against the Caribbean island for four decades.