Written Answers. - UN Sanctions.
Trevor Sargent
Question:
40
Mr. Sargent
asked the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
if he will use the diplomatic facilities now available through our membership of the UN Security Council to bring an end to the sanctions against Cuba and Iraq on humanitarian grounds; and if pressure will increase to alleviate the burden of debt on the poorest people in the world.
[22283/00]
Brendan Howlin
Question:
49
Mr. Howlin
asked the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
the attitude Ireland will be taking on the Security Council in relation to the US blockade of Cuba in view of the difficulties being created for the civilian population and in particular the shortage of medical supplies.
[22349/00]
Jim O'Keeffe
Question:
76
Mr. J. O'Keeffe
asked the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
the efforts he has made to encourage the United States to lift its embargo on Cuba.
[22372/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 40, 49 and 76 together.
With regard to the issue of sanctions against Iraq, I refer the Deputy to the reply which was given earlier to Priority Question No. 2.
The Government is opposed to the US economic embargo imposed against Cuba. We are joined in this opposition by our European Union partners. We want to see this embargo end. We have consistently expressed our view in this regard to the US Government and we have regularly supported resolutions in the UN General Assembly calling for an end to the embargo.
It is encouraging to note that there has been some recent progress on this matter. Following developments during the summer in both the US Senate and House of Representatives, Senate and House leaders on 5 October agreed provisions lifting restrictions on the sale of food and medicines to Cuba. On 11 October, the House of Representatives voted approval of these provisions and the Senate is expected to consider the matter shortly. If these measures receive Congressional approval, they will represent a significant partial step towards lifting the embargo as a whole. We hope that further progress will be made before we take our seat on the UN Security Council and would consider the matter further then in the light of developments and in line with our position on the issue.
EU policy towards Cuba is defined by the common position adopted in December 1996. The aim of the common position is not to enforce by external coercion of any kind but to encourage a peaceful transition to democratic pluralism, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and a sustainable increase in the living standards of the Cuban people. While opposed to such isolating measures as the economic embargo, the common position nevertheless is obliged to make clear that wholehearted EU co-operation with Cuba is unavoidably inhibited by the absence of fundamental human and political rights.
The common position is subject to six monthly review and was reconfirmed at the General Affairs Council on 8 June last. This followed a careful evaluation of the situation in Cuba over the previous six months which led to the inescapable conclusion that there had been no substantive change as regards basic political and human rights, and there appeared to be no early prospect of evolution towards pluralistic democracy. Nevertheless, it was agreed that the Union should deploy further efforts to engage the Cuban authorities in a constructive and frank dialogue in the political, economic and human rights spheres.
At its most recent session in March-April 2000, the UN Commission on Human Rights adopted, with EU support, a resolution criticising Cuba's human rights performance, and calling on it to co-operate with all human rights mechanisms of the UN. The EU, in a comment on the resolution, also expressed continuing concern about the impact on Cuba of the economic embargo. Following the adoption of the resolution, Cuba withdrew an invitation to a European Union Troika at Deputy Foreign Minister level, which was due to visit Havana at the end of April. Cuba also withdrew its application to join the new ACP convention. Nevertheless, Ireland and its EU partners continue to believe that confidence building measures should be pursued with Cuba in the spirit of the common position.
On the debt issue, although not itself a bilateral creditor, Ireland remains deeply concerned about the high levels of debt in many poor developing countries. Of the 40 heavily indebted poor countries – HIPCs – 32 are in Africa where it is estimated that 40% of government revenues are now being allocated to servicing a total debt of some US$350 billion – to the detriment of health, education and other essential social services.
Important progress has been achieved since the G8 summit in Cologne in 1999. The World Bank and IMF's enhanced heavily indebted poor countries framework has now begun to deliver debt relief. Thus far, ten countries have qualified for relief under the enhanced mechanism. A number of major creditor countries have also announced their willingness to write off 100% of the debts owed to them by countries qualifying for enhanced HIPC debt relief. In July 2000, the EU announced a contribution of over one billion euros, US$950 million, to debt relief efforts.
Notwithstanding this progress, the Government is concerned at the slow rate of implementation of the enhanced initiative and the continuing shortfall in funding. Unless there is an acceleration of the HIPC process through greater flexibility in the application of its conditions and the provision of adequate funding, it risks losing its credibility as a mechanism offering broad, deep and rapid relief from unsustainable debt to the poorest countries most in need. At the recent annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Prague, my colleague, the Minister for Finance, supported calls for all bilateral creditors to implement an immediate moratorium on bilateral debt repayments for the world's heavily indebted poor countries. Ireland also wishes to see that the special needs of countries recovering from natural disasters and those emerging from conflict are urgently and adequately addressed.
Ireland has already contributed US$15 million to the HIPC trust fund. We have also provided assistance of £9.5 million directly to a number of heavily indebted countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
