Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-09-03-Speech-3-017"
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"en.20030903.1.3-017"2
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"Mr President, I believe that the people of Cuba, in view of the Americans’ continuing, unfair and disastrous sanctions policy, would see the stepping-up of relations with the European Union as a matter of importance. It is at this point that I must counter what Mr Brok said and make it clear that it was the American sanctions that drove Castro into the Communist camp. It was not at Moscow’s behest that Castro led a revolution; he was prompted to do so by the unrest among the Cuban people. That is what makes the American sanctions policy so very, very damaging, in both political and economic terms.
This would make it all the more important now for good relations with the European Union to be developed but Fidel Castro has unfortunately failed to recognise the signs of the times. He is himself engaged in destroying everything that the revolution stood for and trampling underfoot its undoubted successes. I find this particularly regrettable, as the eventual consequence will be that Cuba will, like a ripe apple, fall into the hands of the Americans and of American big business.
We Social Democrats have stood up for freedom throughout the world, and Cuba is no exception. As Social Democrats, we are opposed to the death penalty, always and everywhere – and Cuba is no exception. So it is that we, as Social Democrats – and, I hope, everyone in this House as Europeans – oppose repression, and it goes without saying that Cuba is no exception. It is, though, a matter of concern to us that the introduction of democracy and of a freely-chosen economic system should be peaceful and not enforced, whether by what one might term Castro’s internal power relationships or by international big business. The people of Cuba must have freedom to choose their leaders, democracy, their parliamentary representatives, and their economic system.
Castro has provoked the EU. Many have said that – and they have been quite right to do so – but I do not take the view that we must now respond by in some way breaking off relations or by putting them on ice. Mrs Bonino is wrong; this is not about dialogue with dictators. Castro is a dictator, and he would be delighted if the European Union were to withdraw, but would the dissidents be pleased to learn that they would be getting no more support from such sources as the Human Rights Working Group that Commissioner Nielson mentioned? Would the people of Cuba be happy if the European Union were to cease its involvement in Cuba? I think the opposite would be the case, and so I want to endorse unreservedly what Commissioner Nielson said: we need a delegation in Cuba.
I agree with Mrs Bonino, in that I would want the European Union to be represented by more than just one person. The European Union needs also to have a visible presence in Cuba, and I think it absolutely right that it should have one. The European Union’s presence in Cuba is important, in that it will enable Cuba to introduce a democratic system. What Cuba needs is democracy and freedom."@en1
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