Cuba question remains in a stalemate

By Andrew Beatty

Date: 20/01/05

Two of the EU's new member states continue to block moves to lift sanctions against Cuba, fearing the island's dissidents may be sidelined under new proposals prepared by the Union's top diplomats.

Poland and the Czech Republic along with the Netherlands are fighting for assurances that a proposed revision of the EU's diplomatic stance does not leave anti-Castro campaigners out in the cold.

The arrest of 75 dissidents in March 2003 prompted the EU to freeze relations with Fidel Castro's regime and step up contacts with the opposition.

But after Cuban countermeasures left European representations without access to the country's decision-makers, member states agreed that the current policy was counterproductive.

Spain is spearheading the campaign to restore dialogue with Castro's regime, with France, Germany and the UK all said to back lifting the sanctions.

Cuba has responded by releasing some sick prisoners and reopening diplomatic channels. But pressure to keep up ties with the island's opposition is strong. "We have our own experience," said one Polish official, "nothing has changed around 300 [dissidents] are still in prison".

A spokesperson for the Czech delegation said that the EU must keep up the pressure on Cuba to release prisoners.

"We will continue the discussion at the Council of Ministers particularly at the end of January," added the Polish official.

Cuban opposition groups are urging the EU not to scale down its contacts with the opposition. The EU's Political Security Committee is expected to discuss the matter next week ahead of a meeting of foreign ministers on 31 January in Brussels.

Article reports that Poland, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands of continued to block moves to lift sanctions against Cuba, fearing the island's dissidents may be sidelined under new proposals prepared by the Union's top diplomats.

The arrest of 75 dissidents in March 2003 had prompted the EU to freeze relations with Fidel Castro's regime and step up contacts with the opposition. But Cuba's diplomatic countermeasures made some Member States think of the EU's steps as
counterproductive.