Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-03-10-Speech-3-386"
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"en.20100310.23.3-386"2
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"Madam President, democracy and defending human rights have an important place among the Union’s principles and objectives for external action – I refer to Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union. This Article also applies to relations with Cuba and with the Cuban people, who are very dear to us.
Unfortunately, in the last five years, the Council’s actions appear to have been essentially governed by a desire to correct the line adopted in previous years, especially in 2003 when there was an extremely harsh wave of oppression in Cuba. In 2005, the Council suspended the 2003 measures.
Subsequently, there were trips to the island by foreign ministers and commissioners. In June 2008, the 2003 measures were lifted and a global political dialogue was established – as Mr López Garrido reminded us – along with regular high-level meetings. A Head of State of a Member State even recently visited Havana. Unfortunately, the European political leaders who went to the island did not have any time to meet with the representatives of the dissidents, who therefore felt marginalised.
Over all this time, repression in Cuba has continued. There have been no changes or reforms. Nevertheless, political dialogue has been maintained. Now we are all shaken up by the cruel death of the political prisoner, Orlando Zapata.
As is well known, ladies and gentlemen, some governments, such as the Spanish Government, have repeatedly said that they want to cancel the common position. It says something very logical: support for democratic transition, essentially the same thing that is required by the principles and objectives of Article 21 of the treaty.
I will conclude with two points. The common position has not hindered dialogue. This is obvious. What is more, it was reconfirmed recently by the 27 ministers, in June 2009. Secondly, the priority cannot be to change the common position – that would be the last straw! The priority now is to ask for the immediate, complete and unconditional release of all political prisoners.
I see Cuba and Latin America as Western, and the symbols that identify the West are the dignity of human beings and respect for their fundamental rights. I have a final thought: I would like to remind the Council that, in its own conclusions in June 2009, it said that the future of political dialogue with the Cuban authorities was dependent on progress being made, in particular, on human rights. Can anyone say that this progress is taking place today? Can anyone really say that?"@en1
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