Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-04-10-Speech-4-133"
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"en.20030410.7.4-133"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the only thing worse than a dictator is an unrepentant dictator and the only thing worse than an unrepentant dictator is an unrepentant dictator who is also an opportunist. The Cuban dictator Fidel Castro has carried out this action with shocking cynicism and brutality, taking advantage of the international crisis, in the belief that since the world’s attentions are currently focused on another part of the globe – Iraq – international attention would be shifted and would therefore allow him to unleash all his rage and fury on those citizens who disagree with him.
Were this situation not so tragic, we might say, given this proof of Fidel Castro’s regime once again showing its true colours; that communism and Stalinism are like riding a bicycle: once you have learned how, you never forget. We in the UEN Group support the joint motion for a resolution, the compromise resolution that has been tabled and that will certainly be adopted. I wish, however, to say something further about the action that we feel should be taken. We believe that we in the European Parliament have a particular responsibility at the moment because last December we awarded the Sakharov Prize to Oswaldo Payá. We cannot abandon our Cuban brothers and sisters to their fate and we must show that awarding the Sakharov Prize serves some purpose. A European Parliament delegation must go to Cuba without delay to meet these detainees and particularly Oswaldo Payá. We must once again express our solidarity and once again invite Oswaldo Payá to come to Strasbourg for the May part-session. If he cannot come in May, then in June and if he cannot come in June, then in July, to tell us what is happening in Cuba. We must act rapidly, to show our solidarity with our Cuban brothers and sisters.
We know that the European Union has already expressed its condemnation. This is important and is to be welcomed but it is not enough. We must do more; we must send a clear message to the Cuban dictator that we do not accept this, and that we shall not concede on this matter. We must put Cuba’s application for Cotonou membership on hold, and we must show quite clearly that we are prepared to support the Cuban situation changing to become a regime of freedom, democracy and respect for human rights, but also that we shall not give in to any backsliding and particularly to any renewal of this Stalinist brutality. Let us call for the immediate release of all detainees."@en1
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