To promote a peaceful transition to a Cuba that respects human rights
and political and economic freedoms
Lithuanian parliament refuses to ratify EU-Cuba deal. Seven Members of Congress send letter to European Union urging them to stand in unequivocal solidarity with the Cuban people
Two key developments on European front with regards to Cuba policy became public yesterday.
First, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, U.S. Senator Rick Scott, Congressman Mario Diaz Balart, Congressman Albio Sires, Congressman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Congressman Alex X. Mooney, and Congressman Carlos A. Jimenez wrote to the European Union (EU) on June 30, 2021 "to urge the European Union (EU) to stand in unequivocal solidarity with the Cuban people and to refuse to expand trade or diplomatic relations with the oppressive Cuban regime until basic freedoms and human rights are recognized. Specifically, we request that you demand the immediate release of all political prisoners, the legalization of free expression, independent media, political parties, and labor unions, and the scheduling of free, fair, multiparty elections for the long-oppressed people of Cuba."
Second, in Vilnius, the Lithuanian parliament, Seimas, passed a resolution on June 30, 2021 with 82 votes in favour and 17 abstentions resolving "that the Government of the Republic of Cuba may not be encouraged to keep pursuing its current path by remaining quiet on these ongoing realities, and that it is not policy-wise to ratify the political dialogue and cooperation agreement between the European Union and Cuba and to create favourable conditions for the Government of the Republic of Cuba to allow the regime of the Republic of Cuba to continue implementing its dangerous regional strategy and to strengthen the oppression of the people of the Republic of Cuba."
The document also declared "in strong and unequivocal terms, that the regime of the Republic of Cuba and its relations with the Russian Federation, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and the Islamic Republic of Iran as well as the regime’s support for terrorist organisations funded by drug trafficking, such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and Colombia’s guerilla group National Liberation Army (ELN), are a threat to the neighboring states and societies of Latin America."
On June 10, 2021 the European Parliament (EP) passed a resolution on the human rights and political situation in Cuba (2021/2745(RSP)) with 386 voting for the resolution, 236 against the resolution, and 59 abstaining that not only condemned the human rights and political conditions in Cuba, but voiced its displeasure with the "current EU Ambassador in Havana [who] has publicly made statements affirming that ‘Cuba is not a dictatorship.’"
Lithuania remains the only EU member state not to have ratified the political dialogue and cooperation agreement between the European Union and Cuba (PDCA).
Sadly, Spain has not exercised the solidarity on behalf of democracy and human rights for the people of Cuba that Lithuania has done and continues to demonstrate today with their courageous and principled stand.
Lietuvos radijas ir televizija, July 1, 2021
Lithuanian parliament refuses to ratify EU-Cuba deal
BNS
2021.07.01 09:37
The Lithuanian parliament, Seimas, passed a resolution on Wednesday, saying it was not “politically appropriate” to ratify the European Union's (EU) cooperation agreement with Cuba. Lithuania remains the only member state not to have ratified the deal.
In the document, the Seimas “states strongly and unequivocally that the regime of the Republic of Cuba and its relations with the Russian Federation, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the Islamic Republic of Iran and support to terrorist organisations financed through drug trafficking pose a threat to neighbouring countries and societies of the Latin American region”.
“The government of Cuba cannot be encouraged to keep following the same old tracks while keeping silent about the said realities,” the document says, and “it is not politically appropriate to ratify the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) between the EU and Cuba”.
The resolution was passed by 82 votes in favour and 17 abstentions.
The resolution also claims that Cuba is pursuing a “dangerous regional strategy” and “oppression of the people of the Republic of Cuba”.
The draft resolution was submitted by 35 MPs, including Parliament Speaker Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Žygimantas Pavilionis, conservative MPs Emanuelis Zingeris, Laima Liucija Andrikienė and others.
Earlier, the US administration called on Lithuania not to ratify the EU-Cuba pact.
Lithuania remains the only EU member states yet to ratify the agreement signed in 2016.
No comments:
Post a Comment