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 inti.landauro@wsj.com
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