Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-07-03-Speech-3-235"
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"en.20020703.7.3-235"2
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"Mr President, the Council is absolutely clear about the human rights and basic civil rights situation in Cuba, as well as the need to introduce a system based on civic and other rights. Such a system is laid down in the Cuban constitution but has not been put into effect. That is the main reason why Cuba is now the only country in Latin America with which the EU has not entered into a cooperation agreement. Since 1996, the EU’s links with Cuba have been defined by the EU’s common position on Cuba.
As stated in the common position, the objective of the links with Cuba is to promote the transition to a pluralist democracy and respect for human and civic rights, as well as sustainable economic recovery and an improvement in the Cuban population’s standard of living. We believe that a results-oriented dialogue and humanitarian aid are the best means of achieving that objective. The dialogue with Cuba, which was broken off by the Cuban authorities in April 2000, was officially resumed on 1 and 2 December of last year when the EU Troika, consisting of high-ranking officials, travelled to Havana. The Troika met the Cuban delegation led by foreign minister Felipe Perez Roque. Its experts also met experts from the Cuban delegation when the UN Commission on Human Rights held a meeting in April of this year.
At its meeting on 17 June of this year in Luxembourg, the General Affairs Council approved the eleventh review of the EU’s common position on Cuba. The Council again confirmed that the objectives are still valid. The Council thought it was important to continue the dialogue with Cuba so that practical results might be achieved, and it also let it be known that it is awaiting clear signals from the Cuban Government that the latter is fulfilling the objectives laid down in the common position.
On 20 May of this year, when the Varela Project was presented to Cuba’s National Assembly, the Presidency submitted a declaration on behalf of the European Union in which it welcomed the Varela initiative. We believe that the Varela Project is an important initiative which, with the strong support of Cuban civil society, can pave the way for the changes which the country needs and which Cuban society is calling for. The purpose of the initiative, which is warranted by the Cuban constitution, is to introduce a system of civic and other rights which are laid down in the constitution itself but which have not been put into effect. In the declaration, the EU expresses the hope that the National Assembly will adopt the initiative being considered and that the Varela Project will be the jumping-off point for a debate that will be able to promote a peaceful transition to a pluralist democracy and a Cuban society at peace with itself.
The Council took note of this eleventh review of the EU’s common position on Cuba at the meeting on 17 June in Luxembourg. It was confirmed that the common position continues to form the basis of the EU’s policy towards Cuba, and it was noted that this policy still applies. The Council observed certain positive signs, such as greater religious freedom, fewer political prisoners, no use of the death penalty for the last two and a half years and the ratification of several UN instruments concerning human rights. It observed that there have recently been signs of greater openness on the part of the Cuban authorities. This was seen as a start, and the Cuban Government was expected to take positive steps that could lead to practical reforms in preparation for a political system based on democratic values. In that connection, the Council is following with interest developments in the project referred to, which is warranted by the constitution. The Council is calling upon the Cuban Government to regard it as a legitimate initiative, since it represents a significant effort to introduce the reforms in question. The conclusion, therefore, is that the Council should give maximum attention to Cuba, follow developments there and persist in making demands upon the country but, at the same time, note the modest forms of progress which have taken place in spite of everything and which the Council hopes may lead to more such progress in the near future."@en1
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