By Isabel Sanchez
HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): Cuba and Spain renewed ties damaged by Havana's 2003 crackdown on dissidents, who on Tuesday saw little hope in the bilateral agreement to discuss human rights and to reinstate Spanish aid.
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Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos (L) shakes hands with Cuban Vice-president Raul Castro 03 April, 2007 at the State Council building in Havana. Cuba and Spain signed Tuesday an agreement creating a mechanism for political consultation, to include the sensitive human rights issue.
AFP PHOTO |
The deals were struck on the second day of a visit by Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, whose government has spearheaded efforts to revive European Union-Cuban relations hurt by Havana's jailing of 75 dissidents four years ago.
Moratinos and Cuban counterpart Felipe Perez Roque signed a document creating a forum for political consultations, to include it says, "the promotion and protection of all human rights for everyone and to contribute to effective, constructive and non-discriminatory treatment of the problem in international forums."
The Cuban foreign minister said the talks had not touched on the thorny subject of Cuban political prisoners.
"This is not a matter we discuss with other countries," he said, adding that Moratinos had not brought it up.
Some 280 opposition leaders are in Cuban prisons, according to dissidents, who were little impressed by the deal.
Marta Beatriz Roque, leader of the illegal Assembly for the Promotion of Civil Society, said, "I do not believe at all in the deal, or in the good will of the Spanish government."
While Perez Roque agreed to talks with Spain, he adamantly opposed discussions with the rest of Europe until it lifted EU sanctions "definitively."
"We cannot talk with anyone imposing sanctions on us," he said.
In a similar vein, Cuban leader Fidel Castro scrapped cooperation agreements with the EU, which includes development aid, after Brussels imposed sanctions on Cuba for the 2003 crackdown.
Moratinos, whose two-day visit to Cuba was to end later Tuesday, is the first EU foreign minister to visit the Communist-ruled island since the sanctions, which were suspended in 2005 at Spain's urging.
Spain's policy on Cuba shifted in 2005 after Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero came to power in 2004. His conservative predecessor, Jose Maria Aznar, had adopted a policy of isolating the Communist island.
Neither was a beacon of hope to Cuba's dissidents.
"We will have to wait for the results," said former political prisoner Vladimiro Roca.
"Zapatero has ignored all opposition requests to respect human rights," he said. Moratinos "came to ensure Spain's investments in Cuba."
Moratinos also met Tuesday with Raul Castro, Cuba's interim president since July, when his brother Fidel Castro underwent intestinal surgery.
The top Spanish diplomat delivered to Raul Castro a letter from King Juan Carlos wishing his brother a "quick recovery."
The European Union imposed political and diplomatic sanctions on Cuba in 2003 after the regime arrested and sentenced 75 dissidents to terms of six to 28 years of prison. Sixteen have since been released due to poor health.
The EU must decide in June whether to extend the sanctions.
EU aid amounted to 3.6 million dollars in 2000, 8.5 million dollars in 2001 and 600,000 dollars in 2002, Castro said when he rejected the aid.
"The government of Cuba, for the most elemental sense of dignity, rejects any aid or any further aid from the (European) Commission and the governments of the European Union," he said when ending cooperation.
Cuba "would accept such aid, of whatever size, only from local or autonomous regions, from non-governmental organizations and solidarity groups who do not impose political conditions on Cuba," Castro said in 2002.
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