EU foreign ministers tell Cuba to improve human rights

[Freddie Stubbs]

LUXEMBOURG - (AP) -- European Union foreign ministers demanded on Monday that Cuba remain open to dialogue on improving human rights or face another freeze in relations with the bloc.

The EU ministers condemned as ''unacceptable'' the recent efforts of Cuban authorities in Havana to silence opposition to the rule of Fidel Castro. They also slammed last month's expulsions of several European politicians and journalists who wanted to attend an opposition rally.

In a statement, the EU ministers called on Havana ``to abstain future similar actions which could derail normal relations between Cuba and the European Union.''

Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, whose country holds the EU presidency, said that although there was ''no satisfactory progress concerning human rights in Cuba,'' the bloc would not reimpose political sanctions against the country.

more: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/world/cuba/11888064.htm

[SteppingRazor]

1. At the same time..

The fact that opposition rallies are even being held is a very positive sign. Even ten years ago, Castro would've rounded everyone at the rally up and thrown them in jail.

[Mika]

4. Simply not true

((Yawn))

Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that
this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that

Domestic opposition rallies have existed for decades in Cuba. Its the unregistered agents (on the US payroll) of Cuba's declared enemy, the USA, who get arrested.

Been there. Seen it.

[SteppingRazor]

5. That suggests two things

1. There are no dissidents in jail in Cuba.
2. Castro is aware of the identity of every USA agent in Cuba, and can separate them from the rest of the opposition forces, so as to arrest only them.


Both of these points are absurd on their face. To suggest that people like Juan Carlos Gonzelez Leiva were USA agents is ridiculous. The man, a blind man at that, is doing time essentially just for starting the Cuban Foundation for Human Rights in Ciego de Avila. That's just one example. There's dozens more. Castro's no Saddam Hussein, but he sure as hell ain't no angel.

[Mika]

17. Absurd?

:spray:

More of the same..

Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that
this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that

The Cuban Foundation for Human Rights is essentially funded by the NED and USAID via Cubanet in Miami (not to mention their connections to the CANF).

How you come to your two conclusions about my response to your ridiculous claim that "Even ten years ago, Castro would've rounded everyone at the rally up and thrown them in jail" is beyond me. There is much domestic (read: non US funded) political opposition in Cuba. They aren't arrested or rounded up as you falsely claimed. Many members of the various groups actually run for office for municipal/provincial/national assemblies. The overwhelming majority of Cubans don't want foreign interference in their political processes - they control their future, not the US - and they support laws that prohibit foreign interference (as do many Americans regarding foreign interference in their own political processes).

Most Americans have no idea about the nature of Cubañia. Mainly because the US government imposes travel sanctions on Americans that prevents them from going to the island to see for themselves that the drivelling US gov/Miamicubanexile anti Cuba propaganda just isn't true.

[Judi Lynn]

13. Who could have missed knowing they were tried using information

provided by Cuban informants who had been working among the "dissidents," including the personal secretary of Marta Beatriz Roque, who's deeply tied to Miami "exile" groups? Worked with her for years, had all the necessary details to nail her @$$.

The only way American right-wing scum propaganda can find a perch in any underutilized mind is if the citizen refuses to become aware through actual deliberate CONSCIOUSNESS.

Staying conscious has many benefits!

April 26, 2003

Cuba Crackdown:
A Revolt Against the National Security Strategy?
By ROBERT SANDELS

Since becoming principal officer at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana in September 2002, James Cason has increased official U.S. connections with Cuban dissidents. Entering directly into Cuba domestic politics, Cason helped launch the youth wing of the dissident Partido Liberal Cubano. Nowhere in the world, said Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque, would it be legal for a foreigner to participate in the formation of a political party. In October 2002, Cason invited a group of dissidents to meet with U.S. newspaper editors at his residence in Havana. Although it has become routine for heads of the U.S. mission to seek out dissidents, it was unusual to meet them at home.

Feb. 24 of this year, he participated in a meeting of the dissident Assembly for the Promotion of Civil Society at the home of prominent dissident Marta Beatriz Roque. Also present at the meeting were several reporters to whom Cason repeated his criticisms of President Fidel Castro's government and reaffirmed U.S. support for dissidents.

Cason organized two other such meetings at his residence in March even after receiving a formal complaint from the Foreign Ministry.

In a recent television interview in Miami, Cason said the help he gave dissidents was "moral and spiritual" in nature. But, according to the testimony of several Cuban security agents who infiltrated the organizations that received U.S. support, the Interests Section became a general headquarters and office space for dissidents. Some of them, including Marta Beatriz Roque, had passes signed by Cason that allowed them free access to the Interests Section where they could use computers, telephones, and office machines.

The State Department calls these activities "outreach." However, under the United States Code, similar "outreach" by a foreign diplomat in the United States could result in criminal prosecution and a 10-year prison sentence for anyone "who agrees to operate within the United States subject to the direction or control of a foreign government or official (Title 18, section 951 of the United States Code).
(snip/...)

http://www.counterpunch.org/sandels04262003.html

[rinsd]

20. LOL....

....and America is the free-est country in the world!

[Mika]

21. Huh?

I don't understand your response. :shrug: Want to clarify?

I did point out that the US gov violates the rights of US citizens in that it restricts unfettered travel to Cuba, so your sarcastic parallel isn't valid.

My post just points out that the absurd claim of any and all opposition getting arrested in Cuba is simply not true.

[ret5hd]

2. meanwhile, there's no news from china, so everything must be fine.

[Vladimir]

3. Mr. Asselborn should, in my humble opinion, shut his mouth n/t

[Judi Lynn]

8. Asselborn's in with the IN CROWD!

Asselborn and friend

It's so doubtful a tiny country sucking up to _Bush's Cuban-right-wing-exile-populated administration, the administration headed by a man whose father materially participated in launching the Bay of Pigs, and pardoned a Cuban "exile" mass-murderer, Orlando Bosch, would be influenced to say anything anti-Cuban.

[Judi Lynn]

6. First congress of the so-called 'Cuban Dissident Movement' financed by the

First congress of the so-called 'Cuban Dissident Movement' financed by the USA is a failure

by Salim Lamrani of Znet maagazine
09 June 2005

June 07, 2005: Havana was the scene of the “first congress of the Cuban dissident movement” on May 20-21, 2005. Organized, planned and financed by the United States and the Cuban extreme right in Florida and broadly covered by the media, this meeting did not achieve the expected success and impact.
(snip)

So it is that the indignation of variable geometry of the European media lacks credibility and only reinforces the ideological character of its position.16 The media were not scandalized when Switzerland barred anti-globalization activists from its territory or when Spain blockaded nearly 8,000 European citizens on its border during the summit of the heads of state of the European Union in March 2002. Human rights activists who have relations with the Zapatistas are regularly expelled from Mexico without any media reaction. In November 2003, for example, the Aznar government denied a visa to the Cuban vice minister of education, Rodolfo Alarcón, invited by the Conference of Presidents of Spanish Universities (CRUE).17

It is also appropriate to ask how the French and Spanish governments would react if politicians from Latin America came to support the Basque separatists, for example. At the same time that certain European diplomats claimed they had been denied a visa to go to Cuba, the United States denied entry to its territory to Omar Mora, president of the Venezuelan Supreme Court. The latter, who wanted to go to Washington to request the extradition of Posada Carriles, did not obtain the precious document. In order to justify this, U.S. authorities surreally invoked an antiterrorist law. The news was ignored by the European press.18

The meeting of a hundred people, brought together by the United States with tens of thousands of dollars to protest against the Cuban government, was enough to unleash a state of emergency in the heart of the world’s editorial boards. At the same time, the protests of thousands of Latin Americans, regularly repressed by violent actions (as in the case of the Brazilian landless workers’ movement, the Argentinean unemployed or the Bolivian miners) qualify, at most, for a miniscule notice in the international press. Nothing is surprising at a time when manipulation of Cuban reality has become a daily obsession.
(snip/)

http://www.cuba-solidarity.org/news.asp?ItemID=485

[Laughing Mirror]

7. The EU and their hypocritical "human rights"

Asselborn was making similar "human rights" demands on China last month, linking EU demands to the long-standing arms embargo against China it had previously promised China would be lifted by June. The US opposes lifting the embargo, of course. Just as US pressured some of its ally states in EU, sounds as if US is putting pressure on EU vis à vis Cuba too.

China response is in this article. I wonder what Cuba's response will be.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/05/11/news/eu.php#

Senior European Union diplomats told China on Thursday that it should ratify a UN human rights accord and release dissidents to improve the climate as the EU considers lifting its 16-year arms embargo.

...

But Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing of China opposed linking human rights to ending the embargo.

"Linking the lifting of the arms embargo to human rights is unreasonable and unhelpful," he said.

By imposing its human rights standards on other countries, the EU was "itself flouting human rights," he said at a joint news conference with the EU delegation.

[damntexdem]

9. And, Cuba, while you're at it ...

see whether or not you can improve the human rights record of your tenants at Guantanamo.

[bemildred]

10. Nebulous threats from the Grand Duchy.

Who appointed this fellow to be the global arbiter of "human rights"?
Who appointed the EU for that matter?
Didn't they just get kicked in the nuts by their prospective "citizens" in France?
Is this fellow having a tantrum because of the "Diplomats" that Cuba expelled?

[Judi Lynn]

11. Next on Bush's list,kill the Congressional agreement to sell

selected agricultural items, and scant medical items to Cuba. He's going to have to get busy, time's a'wastin'. We know he's out to do it as we've heard about it multiple times already.

He won't want this happening much longer:

Cubans Come to Collect Cows

Putney, Vermont - June 13, 2005

At the Stoneholm Farm some cows are about to have a cross country experience.

"It's not everyday you have visitors from this far away?" asks reporter Kristin Carlson to farmer Mike Barrett, "No never from there."

A group of Cubans have come here to buy cattle. Mike Barrett would like to get about $1900 a head.

"This is one of the areas we can set a price and feel like we are getting a good value for what we are selling," explains Barrett.

The state set up this kind of partnership because they were seeking new ways for farmers to make money. This kind of trade is allowed because a ban on agricultural items to the island country was lifted five years ago.

"The more we can get the better. We'll squeeze them as hard as we can doesn't matter who they are or where they are from," said Barrett.
(snip/...)

http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=3468649&nav=4QcSayzf

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Letter to the editor:

Time to open relations with Cuba

Jun. 14, 2005 12:00 AM

How many have noticed that the war with Cuba has been over, yet all of our politicians - regardless of party - continue the war. This occurred during the term of President Kennedy. Still, relationships have not been born anew.

The Vietnam War was ugly, and so many Americans were killed in combat and captivity, which was brutal. But we have re-established relationships with them and anyone can travel there.

What about Cuba. Isn't it time to begin again?

We captured a Cuban terrorist but will not turn him over to the Cuban government because we are not friendly with them. If we are at war with all terrorists, wouldn't we expect countries to turn them over to us?

The war is over, Mr. President. Congress, the war is over. - Gloria J Faber, Show Low
(snip/)

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/0614tuelets146.html

[Judi Lynn]

12. The world is watching

The world is watching

Washington can no longer brush aside Venezuelan and Cuban demands to extradite a client terrorist

Brian Wilson
Tuesday June 14, 2005
The Guardian

As the condor flies, Texas and Cuba are not all that far apart, and yesterday they were linked by two unfolding parallel dramas. The man common to both was Luis Posada Carriles, a Cuban-born citizen of Venezuela who has spent most of his adult life in the service of Washington but is now its biggest embarrassment.
(snip)

Meanwhile, in El Paso, Texas, 77-year-old Posada was resisting efforts by the Venezuelan authorities to extradite him to stand trial for his alleged part in the blowing-up of a Cuban airliner in 1976 that killed 81 people. The Venezuelan interest does not end at the fact that the plot was allegedly hatched in their country. There were Venezuelans on board and Posada (albeit in somewhat different political times) had opted to become a Venezuelan citizen.
(snip)

When Posada was active within its borders, Venezuela was a military dictatorship and client state of Washington. Matters could now hardly be more different, and it seems likely that the eradication of Hugo Chávez's erratic but socially progressive Bolivarian republic would come third on the Washington wish-list - behind only the detention of Osama bin Laden and the demise of Castro himself. Even in Latin America, however, it is not as easy to remove elected governments as it was in the old days.
(snip)

The second relevant change in political context took the form of 9/11 and the war against terrorism, led from Washington. While laxer attitudes undoubtedly did prevail in the 1970s, the US is now unambiguous in its opposition to blowing up civilian planes as a weapon of political argument. However they resolve the Posada difficulty, they can be sure that some parts of the world will be watching with interest for evidence of continuing double standards - with more than a little encouragement from Havana.
(snip/...)

Brian Wilson is a former trade and Foreign Office minister

http://www.guardian.co.uk/cuba/story/0,11983,1505878,00.html

[Say_What]

14. Perhaps George the Lesser wants

to pardon Posada-Carriles like his Poppy did for Posada's accomplice in many terrorist acts, Orlando Bosch-Avila.

<clips>

...CIA Documents On Posada and Bosch

Document 1: CIA, Secret Intelligence Report, "Activities of Cuban Exile Leader Orlando Bosch During his Stay in Venezuela," October 14, 1976

A source in Venezuela supplied the CIA with detailed intelligence on a fund raiser held for Orlando Bosch and his organization CORU after he arrived in Caracas in September 1976. The source described the dinner at the house of a Cuban exile doctor, Hildo Folgar, which included Venezuelan government officials. Bosch was said to have essentially asked for a bribe in order to refrain from acts of violence during the United Nations meeting in November 1976, which would be attended by Venezuelan President Carlos Andres Perez. He was also quoted as saying that his group had done a "great job" in assassinating former Chilean ambassador Orlando Letelier in Washington D.C. on September 21, and now was going to "try something else." A few days later, according to this intelligence report, Luis Posada Carriles was overheard to say that "we are going to hit a Cuban airplane" and "Orlando has the details."


http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB157/

[Judi Lynn]

15. People clueless about US/Cuba relations need to look at that info.

A lot of _Bush's energy has been caught up in the right-wing war on Cuba.

A quick sketch of a few of the U.S. funded, supported terrorism against Cuba in the last 40+ years:

SOME FACTS, Relating to Terrorism against Cuba

Killings and Assaults
1960 ¨C 2000

The CIA blew up the French ship La Coubre on March 4, 1960 in Havana Harbor. 101 people died.

On August 24, 1962 Jose Basulto, later of the Brothers to the Rescue, shot a 22 mm cannon at a beach hotel frequented by Fidel Castro.

On Dec. 23, 1963, a CIA commando unit sunk a Cuban torpedo boast off the Isle of Pines.

The Novo Brothers, later on, members of CORU,, fired a bazooka in 1964 at the U.N. headquarters while Che Guevera was speaking.

Ignacio Novo fired a bazooka toward the Cuba pavilion at the 1967 Montreal World¡¯s Fair.

In l968 Orlando Bosch led a bazooka attack on the Polish ship Polanika, docked in Miami.

Released early from jail, he went on to form CORU, That group took responsibility for assassinating Orlando Letelier, a former Chilean diplomat, and Ronnie Moffit on September 21 l976 on the streets of Washington, D.C.

Under the leadership of Bosch, CORU in 1968 undertook well over sixty bombings of offices and persons connected to Cuba throughout the world. His agent Posada is said to have taken part in 50 of the bombings.
(snip/...)

http://www.letcubalive.org/TERRFACT.htm

also, more info. from a search....

The CIA, the Miami mafia and terrorism against Cuba in December

When dawn broke on that December 23, 1963, Cubans resident in the area of the Siguanea dock, located on the Isle of Pines (now the Island of Youth), had no idea that the place was about to be shaken by two explosions, a smaller one followed by a more powerful one. The criminal hand of the U.S. CIA had carefully selected its target: a unit of the recently created Revolutionary Navy.
Everything happened in a carefully planned way, with no concern on the part of the killers as to the damage they were going to cause. A team of CIA frogmen surreptitiously placed two deadly submarine charges under the LT-85 torpedo vessel, which happened to be next to a similar boat, an LT-94. The first, as I mentioned, created a small explosion, and when dozens of people approached the area, the second explosion went off, which is what caused the real damage. That?s how it happened.
The powerful blast threw mutilated bodies and a jumble of metal in all directions. Seventeen people were injured and four died: sailors Jes?ndoza Larosa, Fe de la Caridad Hernᮤez Jubᮠand Andr÷ŸGavilla Soto, as well as midshipman Leonardo Luberta Noy.
The criminal attack would devastate Cubans precisely as festivities for the New Year were approaching. As Fidel stated at the time, "it was a criminal attack, a cowardly attack. The CIA?s gift to the Cuban people." The details of the criminal action emerged shortly afterwards. The saboteurs had set sail from the mother ship Rex, used by the CIA to perpetrate acts of terrorism against Cuban territory. It was, without a doubt, part of the strategy of terror implemented by the CIA to terminate the Cuban revolutionary process.
For instance, it was discovered that each one of these criminal actions was planned and organized from within U.S. territory, specifically from the JM/WAVE station in Miami in charge of directing the activities of terrorist groups against the island. Based in that center of terror, located on land rented from the University of Miami and under the cover of a company called Zenith International, Ted Shackley, a senior agency member, directed more than 300 officers and 4,000 terrorists of Cuban origin, with a large budget in excess of $50 million a year.
(snip/...)

http://hm.indymedia.org/newswire/display/7716/index.php

[Say_What]

16. Follow the acts of terrorism to see that the same people are involved

over and over.

Posada-Carriles
Bosch-Avila
Gaspar Jimenez
Guillermo Novo
Pedro Remon

These names come up time after time in terrorism acts on US soil and abroad yet continue to be viewed as 'heros' by the MiamiGusanos.

That article pointed out that Posada is a terrorist rather than the white-washed 'militant' term the MSM is using.

[Mika]

18. Add one more name to that list..

.. of names that keep popping up.

Bush


____


:hi:

[Say_What]

19. How could I ever have forgotten that one

:hi:

Get some free Bush flags. Someone is using this in their sig line--priceless!! :-)


http://www.madeyouthink.org/