Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-04-22-Speech-4-256"
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"en.20040422.9.4-256"2
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".
Mr President, this is clearly an issue on which this Parliament likes to be divided. This reflects political reality, but I have one plea. I direct it to Mrs Bergaz Conesa who highlighted Cuba's fine performance in areas such as health, sports and education. That is fine, but I would add, 'and so what'? It should be possible, without being misunderstood, to discuss the issue of human rights on its own merits, not just in Cuba, but everywhere.
It is as if this is a sort of balancing game, a sort of political scoreboard relating to the totality of Cuba's situation, character and state of mind politically. This is not the case. As I understand it, this is about expressing concern – to put it mildly – on human rights issues there, and as friends of that nation we in Europe are entitled to do that here without being seen as escalating or creating even more problems than we have already.
The Commission shares Parliament's concern about the human rights situation in Cuba. We need to see progress on democracy and the opening-up and normalising of political life, especially now, one year after the mass detention of dissidents. In our analysis things have not improved.
The EU continually follows the situation of political prisoners through the Human Rights Working Group in Havana and through contacts with family members of those imprisoned. Last February, the wives and mothers of the political prisoners expressed their appreciation to the European institutions for the support they give. The European Union intends to continue to raise the cases of prisoners of conscience with the Cuban authorities and to exert the pressure we can for real democratic reform and respect for human rights in Cuba. The recent declaration by the Council presidency, congratulating the Cuban journalist Raúl Rivero on the award of the Word Press Freedom Prize from Unesco, called again on the Cuban authorities to release all the imprisoned dissidents without delay.
The Member States supported the recent resolution on Cuba at the UN Human Rights Commission, lamenting the sentencing of political dissidents and journalists last year and expressing hope that the government of Cuba will take measures to promote the full development of democratic institutions and civil liberties.
The European Union considers dialogue with Havana important to promote political, economic and civil rights reforms. However, positive moves by Cuba on its political prisoners are needed. If Cuba took concrete steps to improve the human rights situation, I am sure that the European Union would immediately respond. We regret the current situation. We not only see scope for improvement, we also see the
for improvement.
The Commission supports Parliament's initiative to invite Oswaldo Payá. Our delegation in Havana is in regular contact with him and is trying to facilitate the visit.
Finally, despite Cuban decisions which impede our development cooperation activities, the Commission remains willing to provide aid to promote democracy and improve living standards for ordinary Cubans. We regret the lower level of activity in what we are doing together for the time being and, without wanting to create further political tension, we hope and work for a normalisation of the situation."@en1
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