Situation in Cuba

by Daniel Marc Cohn-Bendit, Monica Frassoni, Marie Anne Isler Béguin and Raül Romeva i Rueda

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its earlier resolutions on the situation in Cuba, and in particular that of 22 April 2004[1],

– having regard to the resolutions adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly,

– having regard to the declaration of 26 March 2003 by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union on the arrests of opposition figures in Cuba,

– having regard to the provisions of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement (the Cotonou Agreement)[2],

– having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the defence of the universality and indivisibility of human rights, including civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, remains one of the principal objectives of the European Union (EU),

B. having regard to the current situation of dissidents and opponents of the ruling regime and the violations of basic rights in Cuba,

C. whereas discussions are being held within the Council and a process is under way to modify policy on Cuba, lessons having been learnt from the failure of the policy applied until now,

D. whereas the same policy would be applied to Cuba as to any other state in the world, with due respect to the rules of democracy, pluralism and human rights, in order to establish a cooperation and development policy to benefit citizens, without focusing only on human rights,

E. whereas the policy of sanctions and isolation applied with regard to Cuba has served neither the interests of the country nor its people, nor those of the Union or those, of whatever nature, of Europeans based in Cuba, and has also failed to achieve the slightest progress in human rights, democracy or pluralism,

F. whereas this policy has ruled out any positive results by European NGOs in Cuba and created a divide between Member State governments and the EU on one hand and civil society in the Member states on the other, which defied, through their huge involvement, the EU's boycott of artistic, cultural and industrial events,

G.whereas this policy towards Cuba has been bad for the credibility of the EU, which is perceived in Cuba itself but also across the whole of Latin America as highly dependent on the United States,

1. Calls for a new policy on Cuba to be put in place that resembles those towards other countries of the world and maintains the EU's objectives: respect for human rights, political pluralism and the application of democracy;

2. Calls for dialogue and cooperation to become the rule and to play a fundamental part in improving the human rights situation, as in the case of any other country;

3. Calls for efficient management of the interests of the EU, which should be recognised as an important partner and should play a leading role in economic and social development;

4. Calls, at the unanimous request of the 77 ACP countries, for Cuba to be able to accede to the Cotonou Agreement, given that it has already been accepted as a member of the ACP Group;

5. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Member States, the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and the Government of Cuba.

[1] P5_TA(2004)0379.

[1] OJ L 317, 15.12.2000, p. 3.