France's Hollande Makes Historic Visit to Cuba

By Inti Landauro 

PARIS-- François Hollande became the first French president Monday to visit Cuba in modern history as the U.S. and its Western allies seek to normalize ties with the Cold War antagonist.

Mr. Hollande arrived in Havana for a trip that aims to position France as a key interlocutor between President Barack Obama and his Cuban counterpart, Raúl Castro. In December, the Cuban and U.S. leaders agreed to work on restoring diplomatic relations severed more than a half-century ago when Mr. Castro's brother Fidel took power and aligned the island with the Soviet Union.

"After what President Obama decided, France, with Europe, can be a supporter in this process," Mr. Hollande said upon landing in Havana, hours before he was due to meet with Mr. Castro.

France is also jockeying to take advantage of trade opportunities that are likely to arise as the U.S. begins to ease its long-standing embargo on Cuba.

Several top executives from French hotels group Accor SA as well as Alexandre Ricard, chief executive of French beverage maker Pernod Ricard, accompanied Mr. Hollande on the trip.

Cuba's tourism industry begun opening to foreign investment decades ago. If the U.S. embargo is lifted, however, firms like Pernod Ricard have much to gain. The firm would be able to sell Cuban rum Havana Club in the U.S., a market that accounts for nearly 40% of global rum sales.

Pernod Ricard has since 1993 managed the global distribution of the Havana Club, a Cuban-made rum exported to over 120 countries but blocked in the U.S.

The U.S. and Cuba are already taking concrete steps to thaw relations. Last week the U.S. Treasury granted licenses to American firms operating ferry services to Cuba for the first time in decades.

Mr. Obama has also made a formal recommendation to Congress to remove Cuba for the list of state sponsors of terrorism. That step is likely to encourage banks and other businesses to do business in the Cuban market.

"I hope all the measures that have harmed Cuba's development can now be finally lifted," Mr. Hollande said in an address at the University of Havana. Mr. Hollande is due to leave Cuba for Haiti on Tuesday.

Ruth Bender contributed to this article

Write to Inti Landauro at [e-mail]

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