Monday, December 7, 1998; 11:51 a.m. EST

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- In a statement directed as much at Havana as Washington, the European Union said Monday that relations with Cuba won't get better unless that country improves its human rights record.

The 15 foreign ministers from the EU bloc said they want to help Cuba become a pluralist democracy but that Havana showed no interest in that.

The statement was within a twice-annual report that the EU agreed to carry out as part of a challenge to a U.S. law that punishes companies for doing business in Cuba.

The Europeans argued that the Helms-Burton act violated international trade law, denied being soft on Cuba and pledged to step up monitoring of human rights there.

The EU ministers reaffirmed their wish ``to become a partner with Cuba with a view to progressively and irreversibly opening up the Cuban economy.''

However, they added, ``It will only be possible to cooperate fully with Cuba if the situation improves as far as human rights and fundamental freedoms are concerned.''

EU relations with Cuba remain tenuous. The best the EU has been able to do for Cuba this year is grant the country observer status in negotiations between the EU and 71 developing countries.