Vol. 451 No. 8
46 Mr. Ellis asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Council of Foreign Ministers of the EU discussed calling off the embargo of Cuba; and if so, Ireland's position in relation to this matter; and the way in which each member of the EU voted on the issue. [7274/95]
There is no common European Union position on the US trade embargo on Cuba and this is reflected in the voting on the UN resolution on this issue in the General Assembly. The voting position of each member state is given in the attached schedule. This vote took place against the recent background of the opening of bilateral discussions between the US and Cuba. In considering its position on that occasion, the Government was anxious to encourage that dialogue and allow it time to develop. As we made clear at the time, our abstention in the vote did not mean that we supported the embargo. On the contrary the Government agreed with the call in the Resolution on all States to refrain from promulgating and applying laws of the kind adopted by the United States. It remains our hope that before the next General Assembly, the conditions can be created for the lifting of the embargo and the normalisation of US-Cuba relations.
I must say, however, that recent developments in the US Congress on this issue are not encouraging. Ireland and its partners in the European Union, in a statement issued on 5 April 1995, expressed serious concern to the United States about proposed legislation in the Congress which would strengthen the extra territorial dimension to the trade embargo. In this context, the European Union has made clear its opposition to the adoption of any measure having extra territorial application and which is in breach of World Trade Organisation rules.
Voting schedule of EU member states at 49th United Nations General Assembly on the Draft Resolution on the necessity of ending the Embargo against Cuba.
EU Member States (26 October 1994)
|
Belgium |
Yes |
|
Denmark |
Yes |
|
France |
Yes |
|
Germany |
Abstain |
|
Greece |
Yes |
|
Ireland |
Abstain |
|
Italy |
Abstain |
|
Luxembourg |
Yes |
|
Netherlands |
Abstain |
|
Portugal |
Abstain |
|
Spain |
Yes |
|
United Kingdom |
Abstain |
