Finian McGrath
Question:354 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will invite the Cuban President to Ireland in 2006; and if he will build and develop the relationship between Cuba and Ireland. [14233/06]
View answerTuesday, 25 April 2006
Questions (307)
Written answers
There are no plans for ministerial or State visits between Cuba and Ireland at this time. Our programme of visits, both outward and inward, is kept under review on an ongoing basis.
Relations between Ireland and Cuba have developed in recent years, particularly since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1999. Our ambassador in Mexico City is accredited to Cuba. In 2001, Cuba established a resident embassy in Dublin, which has been headed by a resident ambassador since October 2005. Prior to that the embassy was headed at chargé d'affaires level, with the Cuban ambassador to Ireland resident in London. The chargé d'affaires and subsequently the ambassador have been and continue to be extremely active in seeking to promote links between the two countries based, inter alia, on people-to-people contact and cultural activities and many Irish people have visited Cuba in recent years.
I welcome these developments and I wish to see the bilateral relationship between Ireland and Cuba develop further. Unfortunately, the ongoing large-scale violation of human rights in Cuba and the unacceptable attitude of the Cuban Government toward the resident EU embassies in Havana are a serious impediment to the further development of relations with Cuba. Large numbers of prisoners of conscience are still in detention in Cuba and its government continues to refuse to co-operate fully with the personal representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
On 13 June 2005 the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council reaffirmed the validity of the 1996 common position on Cuba, and reiterated that constructive engagement remains the basis of the EU's policy toward Cuba. The EU's objective in its relations with Cuba, as set out in the common position, is to encourage a process of transition to a pluralist democracy and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as sustainable recovery and improvement in the living standards of the Cuban people. The Council conclusions also emphasised the importance which the Union attaches to dialogue in order to produce tangible results in the human rights, democratisation, civil, economic and political rights and co-operation spheres, and made clear that the EU remains open to resuming such dialogue with Cuba.
The above remains the position of the Government and of our EU partners. I again urge the Cuban Government to release prisoners of conscience and to respect internationally acknowledged principles and practices in respect of EU missions in Havana so that dialogue can be resumed. I have no doubt but that such steps by the Cuban Government would impact positively on the next evaluation of the EU common position on Cuba.