Czech
Today. April 20, 2001
Cuban envoy accuses Czechs of "fulfilling U.S. orders
Apr 20, 2001 -- (BBC Monitoring) Text of report in English by Czech news
agency CTK.
Prague, 19 April: Deleting of criticism of the economic blockade from the
text of the UN resolution on human rights violations in Cuba has confirmed that
Czech diplomats cannot act freely but are only fulfilling U.S. orders, Cuban
charge d'affairs in Prague David Paulovich said today.
The resolution was approved by the UN Commission for Human Rights in Geneva
by a narrow majority of votes on Wednesday [19 April].
Paulovich said that it would bring nothing good in Czech-Cuban relations and
the fact that the Czech Foreign Ministry unsuccessfully tried to include
criticism of the anti-Cuban economic sanctions would change nothing in it. The
Czech Republic is only pretending that it wants to help the Cuban people.
Although it had tried to have the criticism of the economic blockade included in
the resolution, it had finally done what the United States wanted, and harmed
Cuba, he said. He said that Cuba did not need to ask anyone what to do as it was
independent and made decisions freely.
Paulovich questioned the Czech Foreign Ministry's recent statement that the
Czech Republic would not submit a draft resolution next year. Maybe Americans
would call tomorrow and say that it is necessary that Czechs submit it and they
would do this, he said, adding that the entire European Union was also under the
influence of the USA.
Paulovich assessed Czech-Cuban relations as being very bad for a long time -
Cuba has repeatedly rejected the Czech side's proposals to raise the two
countries' representations in Prague and Havana to the ambassadorial level. If
you attack us, you cannot be our friends and you cannot expect pleasant smiles,
Paulovich said. He did not rule out that the relations would further worsen due
to the resolution.
The United States had bought the support of many countries in the commission
with various kinds of promises and it had exerted pressure on others, Paulovich
said, adding that Cuba would submit proof on Friday [20 April] which would
confirm it. He again stressed Havana's official position that Cuba feels it is a
moral victor after the approval of the resolution by the commission. The vote
showed which countries yielded to the United States dictate, he said. Four Latin
American countries - Argentina, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Uruguay - voted for
the resolution. At the beginning of April Paulovich said that the Latin American
would not act against Cuba and would block the passage of the resolution.
Source: CTK news agency, Prague, in English 1525 GMT 19 Apr
01
U.S. Says it is Satisfied With UN Resolution on Cuba
WARSAW, Apr 20, 2001 -- (CTK - Czech News Agency) The United States
government is satisfied with and welcomes the adoption on Wednesday by the UN
Human Rights Commission in Geneva of a Czech-proposed resolution criticizing
Cuba's regime for violations of human rights, U.S. State Department official
Philip Reeker said on Thursday.
Reeker called the adoption of the resolution a victory for the Cuban people,
and he said it showed that the world realized the situation on the island. He
pointed out that Havana had tried very energetically to keep the resolution from
being passed. The resolution, introduced by the Czech Republic, was supported by
22 countries, while 20 voted against it and 10 abstained during the vote. One of
the countries represented in the commission did not attend the session.
The resolution reminds that all countries of the world are obliged by the
Charter of the United Nations and by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms. The resolution
adds that "no satisfactory improvements have been made thus far by the
Government of Cuba in the field of human rights.
The resolution also "calls once again upon the Government of Cuba to
ensure respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and to provide the
appropriate framework to guarantee the rule of law through democratic
institutions and the independence of the judicial system." In addition, the
text also stresses "the need for a constructive and open dialogue on human
rights between both the people and Government of Cuba and the international
community as an essential precondition for emerging from the status quo towards
a better future."
The resolution also voices "concern at the continued violation of human
rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba, such as freedom of expression,
association and assembly and the rights associated with the administration of
justice, despite the expectations raised by some positive steps taken by the
Government of Cuba in the past few years." Nevertheless, the resolution
also "notes certain measures taken by Cuba to enhance freedom of religion
and calls upon the Cuban authorities to continue taking appropriate measures in
this regard."
Cuba's state media has blasted the resolution as "anti- Cuban". "Foreign
Minister Felipe Perez Roque qualified the imposition by blackmail and pressure
of the resolution against Cuba in the Human Rights Commission in Geneva as a
huge moral victory for the Cuban Revolution," writes the Cuban state paper
Granma.
((c) 2001 CTK - Czech News Agency)
Czech Foreign Minister Says Text of Resolution Rejects Sanctions Against
Cuba
PRAGUE, Apr 19, 2001 -- (CTK - Czech News Agency) The Czech-sponsored
resolution against human rights violation in Cuba, which was approved by the UN
Commission for Human Rights on Wednesday, rules out economic sanctions, Czech
Foreign Minister Jan Kavan told today's issue of the daily Lidove noviny.
Czech diplomacy failed to push through the original version of the
resolution expressly condemning sanctions which had angered the USA. The
approved wording of the resolution says that for the sake of support to human
rights and economic prosperity in Cuba UN members should take steps devised to
improve the economic situation of the Cuban people.
This is seen by Kavan as rejection of the sanctions. "If you try to
improve the economic situation of Cuba and if you even call on member countries
to take concrete steps to achieve it, then this is not in harmony with the
sanctions in my opinion," Kavan told the daily adding that the EU shares
the view. "I am satisfied with this concrete sentence in the resolution
irrespective of how it may be interpreted with regard to the U.S. policy which I
fully respect," Kavan told the daily.
Twenty-two countries out of 53 members of the commission voted for the
resolution, 20 against it, 10 abstained from the vote and one delegation was not
present in the voting room. At the last moment on Tuesday the resolution was
supported by France and all seven EU countries which are members of the UN
Commission for Human Rights when the clause on the general economic situation in
Cuba was replaced with a new version. The resolution was also supported by the
USA.
((c) 2001 CTK - Czech News Agency)
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