WRITTEN QUESTION P-2505/01

by Fernando Fernández Martín (PPE-DE) to the Council

(10 September 2001)

Subject: EU relations with Cuba

Following the Presidency-in-Office's recent visit to Cuba, international press reports indicate that Cuba agrees to re-establish the dialogue with the EU, and that the Belgian Foreign Minister himself has ascertained that the existing climate is favourable to stepping up EU relations with Cuba.

Given that the status of these relations is determined by the common position adopted by the Council in 1995, is the Belgian Presidency seeking to suggest that this common position be amended? What changes have occurred in Cuba to change the situation which obtained at the time the common position was adopted?

Joint answerto Written Questions E-2272/01 and P-2505/01

(17 December 2001)

1. As laid down in the EU Common Position on Cuba, every six months since its approval the Council has reviewed the situation in that country with a view to evaluating the need to revise the Common Position.

2. During its ninth evaluation on 25 June 2001, the Council noted that, since the previous evaluation, there had not been any significant signs of change in the Cuban Government's policy towards the accomplishment of the aims of the Common Position. The Council also noted that the Common Position remained the basis of the European Union's policy towards Cuba.

3. The Council reiterated that the objectives of the European Union towards Cuba remained the encouragement of a process of peaceful transition to pluralist democracy and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

4. In the light of the ninth evaluation, the Council considered that a broader presence of EU actors in Cuba would lead to a more efficient pursuit of the Common Position as it would offer opportunities for an ongoing process of dialogue, exchanges of experiences and learning for the future. The Council therefore encouraged the European Commission to strengthen its efforts for cooperation with, in particular, civil and non-governmental organisations in Cuba.

5. The Council also stressed the importance of the EU and Cuban authorities engaging in a constructive and frank dialogue on all issues of common interest and stated the European Union's readiness to resume such dialogue.

6. It was against this background that, on 23 and 24 August 2001, a Troika fact-finding delegation led by the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Louis Michel, travelled to Havana at the invitation of the Cuban authorities. The delegation held talks with the Cuban Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Pérez Roque, and the Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister for the Economy and Planning, Mr Rodríguez. It also met representatives of Cuban dissidents who gave the EU their account of the situation in Cuba.

7. The Troika held an exchange of views with the Cuban authorities on the EU Common Position on Cuba. Both sides agreed on the need to resume, as quickly as possible and without any preconditions, a dialogue addressing all issues of common interest, including human rights.

8. In any event, the Council would inform the Honourable Member that EU-Cuba relations will shortly be under discussion in the Council in the context of the six-monthly review of the Common Position.