Finian McGrath
Ceist:179 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will develop the relationship between the Cuban people and Ireland. [28437/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 10 November 2004
Ceisteanna (132)
Freagraí scríofa
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, headed at chargé d’affaires level and with its ambassador to Ireland resident in London. The chargé d’affaires has been extremely active in seeking to promote links between the two countries based, inter alia, on people to people contact and cultural activities. Many Irish people have visited Cuba in recent years. I welcome these developments and would certainly wish to see the bilateral relationship between Ireland and Cuba develop further.
As regards the US economic embargo on Cuba, the Government, in common with our partners in the European Union, believes that it seriously hampers the economic development of Cuba and negatively affects all of its people. We reject unilateral measures against Cuba which are contrary to commonly accepted rules of international trade. On 28 October 2004 in the United Nations General Assembly, Ireland and our EU partners again voted in favour of the annual Cuban tabled resolution, entitled the Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba.
Unfortunately, the ongoing large scale violation of human rights in Cuba and the unacceptable attitude of the Cuban Government towards the resident EU embassies in Havana are a serious impediment to the further development of relations with Cuba and its people. 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 High Commissioner for Human Rights. A recent report by the NGO, Reporters without Borders, ranked Cuba in second last place worldwide for press freedom.
On 14 June 2004, during the Irish Presidency of the EU, the General Affairs and External Relations Council reaffirmed the validity of the 1996 common position on Cuba, following the fourteenth evaluation of that position, and reiterated that constructive engagement remains the basis of the EU's policy towards Cuba. The Council also emphasised the importance which the Union attaches to dialogue in order to produce tangible results in the political, economic and civil 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. Finally, I again urge the Cuban Government to release prisoners of conscience and to respect internationally acknowledged principles and practices in relations with 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.