Havana, March 11 (RHC)-- The head of the Latin America Department and deputy director for the Americas at the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office, James Dauris, says that as a country friend to Cuba, the United Kington is committed to developing bilateral relations.

The British diplomat just concluded a two-day visit to the island.

During a meeting with journalists along with the European country's ambassador, Antony Stokes, Dauris said that the meetings with government representatives were an opportunity to talk about diverse issues, common points of view, interests, opportunities, and other issues where there are differences. 

"It's important to talk, to dialogue," the diplomat stressed.

Dauris met with Emilio Lozada García, general director of Bilateral Relations at the Cuban Foreign Ministry, and with the first deputy minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Ana Teresita Gónzalez Fraga.

"I would like to point out how bilateral relations have advanced, especially in the last two years. First, with the visit of President Miguel Díaz-Canel to London in the fall of 2018, and then with Prince Charles' historic trip to Havana almost a year ago," Dauris added.

"British investments in Cuba are significant, yet relatively small. That's why it was important to meet the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, to discuss the challenges facing British investors in Cuba today and the attraction of investment," 

Regarding the scenario created by the current U.S. Administration's policy, Dauris said that that U.S. sanctions are complicating business development in Cuba. 

"Amid the challenges and opportunities of the U.K.'s exit from the European Union, our government is more committed to supporting British companies in developing investment and trade relations, and that includes Cuba and other countries," he said.

On this issue, the United Kingdom Ambassador in Havana, Antony Stokes, said that "as a government, we are supporting the presence and success of British companies in establishing and investing in Cuba despite the challenges deriving from Title III and Title IV of the Helms-Burton Act.

"We are against all blockades. We share the purpose of promoting investments inside Cuba and also trade, and of confronting any obstacle or difficulty to generate new opportunities, to take advantage of the potential that we see in this country", the British Ambassador to Havana said.