Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-09-03-Speech-3-012"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2003-09-03"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:EU-Cuba relations2
dcterms:Language	"fr"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20030903.1.3-012"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2003-09-03-Speech-3-0132
lpv:speaker	lp:Marie Anne Isler Béguin2
lpv:spokenAs	substitute; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 unknown; Les Verts-Europe-Ecologie (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 member; Delegation to the EU-Armenia, EU-Azerbaijan and EU-Georgia Parliamentary Cooperation Committees (2002-02-07--2004-07-19)3 member; G/EFA (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; Members from the European Parliament to the Joint Parliamentary Assembly of the Agreement between the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Union (ACP-EU) (2002-02-06--2004-07-19)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, Commissioner, those of us who love Cuba and the honest and down-to earth Cuban people are deeply upset to see human rights and in particular the right to freedom of expression persistently breached by President Castro’s regime. The European Union, one of whose aims is to promote universal and inalienable human, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, can only vigorously condemn this authoritarian attitude on the part of the Cuban regime towards its people who legitimately aspire to fundamental values. The European Union, however, is not entirely in the clear either. Its relations with Cuba can truly be classed as unique. Indeed, Cuba is the only country in Latin America not bound by a bilateral cooperation agreement with the European Union, despite the fact that through some of its Member States, the Union is the main source of business and investment in Cuba. Following the collapse of the Soviet bloc, the Union became the island’s main trading partner and in this capacity, we believe that the Union’s key role presents exceptional opportunities for exerting moral and political influence in order to take democracy and respect for human rights forwards in Cuba. The other unique feature resides in the status of the island within the ACP-EU Joint Assembly. Cuba has been accepted as a Member of the ACP Assembly but remains an observer on the Joint Committee. Cuba is also the only country for which the Union stipulates conditions that must be fulfilled before it can sign the Cotonou agreement. Do we in the Union not have a responsibility to treat countries equally? Cuba should be treated in exactly the same way as any other country. The Union must consequently play a key role where Cuba is concerned. Whilst respecting its sovereignty and dignity, it can work towards achieving a peaceful, internal democratic transition and pursue a policy that could persuade Cuba to adopt positive measures such as signing and implementing the United Nations conventions on civil and political rights. The Cuban people are suffering. They are suffering as a result of the policy of confrontation with the United States after 44 years of the blockade and the Helms-Burton law. It is suffering as a result of an authoritarian regime presiding over a ruined economy and it is in the values of the European Union that these people are putting their hope. The Union must understand this and Castro’s regime must accept this."@en1

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