Schwarzenberg: EU not to change stance on Cuba

ČTK |

26 October 2010

Luxembourg, Oct 25 (CTK) - The European Union will not change its current stance on the Cuban regime though Cuba released some political prisoners in the past weeks, the EU countries' foreign ministers agreed Monday, Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg has said.

The EU will be willing to negotiate with Cuba only if human rights protection improves in this country, he added.

The EU has practically not changed its stance since 1996 when it adopted a common position on Cuba.

Spain, which wants the EU to normalise relations with Cuba, has criticised this position in the long run.

However, a number of the member states stand up against the Spanish view. The Czech Republic has been among the strongest opponents of softening the EU policy towards the Cuban totalitarian regime.

The Czech Republic and Sweden, with support of Germany, Monday succeeded in persuading most of the EU member states that not even the release of some prisoners of conscience was a sufficient reason to mitigate the stance, Schwarzenberg said.

Last week, the Cuban government approved the release of five political prisoners who, however, do not belong to the group of 52 dissidents arrested, along with another 23 regime opponents, in 2003.

These people are being gradually released prom prison on the basis of the July agreement between the Cuban government and Spain which was mediated by the Catholic Church.

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Comments

Submitted by Milton Sanchez ... on October 27, 2010 - 02:01.

The European Union is out of touch with reality. Perhaps is all those US dollars from Washington, DC and Miami, FL interfere in their judgement. The fact is that 187 member nations of the United Nations today voted 187 to 2 for the USA to lift the embargo against Cuba. The fact is that any nation economically blockaded and attacked by a powerful nation must defend itself. The fact is that the Guantanamo Bay, USA Naval Base in Cuba violates human rights of its prisoners daily, yet the European Union, specifically Germany, Sweden, Poland and the Czech Republic ignores it and prefers to follow the failed US policy of the past 50 years and condemn Cuba. The people of the Czech Republic must know that unlike pre-Nazi Prague and post USSR Czechoslovakia, Cuba was only invaded by the USA and its revolution was Cuban, not foreign. I hope all Czechs will honor Cuba's plight against the formidable empire to their north. Just like the Czechs were able to remove the boot on their back, Cuba has been battling the US domination for over a century. Support Cuba's fight against USA and help them repeal the criminal blockade against the island. Do not be swayed by the money form the extremist in Miami, Florida. Cuba is Cuba and should be left to the Cubans without interference form the USA or the European Union or the Czech Republic. Certainly, Cubans can take care of themselves. I hope the Czech people do not join the failed policies of the USA against the Cuban people and in turn support their resistance against USA domination.
Milton Sanchez-Parodi, Poland, OH, USA

Submitted by Milton Sanchez ... on October 27, 2010 - 02:08.

European Union must take into account the violations of human rights by the USA embargo condemned today by the United Nations. If the European Union, Sweden, Germany, Poland and the Czech republic are worried about human rights, they should look at the US Naval Base in Guantanamo, Cuba as well as the US economic embargo against Cuba. The USA's embargo affects 11 million Cubans, yet the European Union stands by and lets it happen.
Milton Sanchez-Parodi, Poland, Ohio, USA