Czech
Today, April 26, 2001.
MLADA BOLESLAV, Apr 26, 2001 -- (CTK - Czech News Agency) The USA succeeded
in having the UN resolution on human rights violation in Cuba approved at the
last moment by means of pressure and promises made particularly to African and
Latin American countries, Cuban charge d'affaires David Paulovich said today.
Paulovich justified his claim saying that on the eve of the vote on the
resolution a mere 20 states were in favor of it while 24 were against it.
Eventually however the resolution was supported by 22 states and 20 were against
it, Paulovich said at a meeting with citizens of Mlada Boleslav. The resolution
was approved by the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva one week ago.
It does not contain criticism of anti-Cuban economic sanctions which it
originally contained. The criticism however displeased the USA. Paulovich said
that the resolution had nothing in common with democracy, but it is approved on
the demand of the USA which needs it to be able to continue applying an embargo
and pressure against Cuba.
The fact that this resolution has been submitted for three years by the
Czech Republic is a fundamental problem which hampers development of relations
between the two countries, Paulovich said. He said that the lesson taught to
opposition deputy Ivan Pilip and ex-student activist Jan Bubenik, who spent 25
days in prison in Cuba after they met dissidents, was a lesson to many countries
of eastern Europe as well. Paulovich said that though various groups of persons
from east European countries had visited Cuban dissidents, the activities of
Pilip and Bubenik had probably been the last straw.
"If I visit a country, I must respect its laws, and if I am a deputy, I
must respect them even more," Paulovich said. He said Cuba did not prevent
any foreigner from meeting Cuban dissidents and from talking to them. But it
will not allow anyone to provide dissidents with material support and to try to
threaten the Cuban revolution.
According to Paulovich Cuba prevents no one to leave the country. At present
some 400,000 Cubans are striving to leave for the USA. "We are not afraid
of this. Even if all of them left, there will still be 10.5 million of us in
Cuba," Paulovich said.
((c) 2001 CTK - Czech News Agency) |