Cuba says it will never renounce socialism
MADRID —
Cuba’s foreign minister warned Tuesday that President Raul Castro will never renounce socialism, just days before Havana holds landmark talks with European Union leaders.
“There has not been reform in Cuba, but a deep social revolution” and “this process has to be continually perfected,” Felipe Perez Roque told a press conference in Madrid when asked about reforms undertaken by Raul Castro since he replaced his ailing brother Fidel two years ago.
If the reforms imply that “Cuba is renouncing socialism, we have to say that they are not,” he said, following a meeting with his Spanish counterpart Miguel Angel Moratinos.
On Thursday, the European Union is to hold its first ministerial talks with Cuba since 2003. The initiative follows the EU’s lifting of sanctions against Cuba last June.
Perez Roque expressed optimism that the talks could help improve relations between Havana and Brussels.
“Our country is interested in talks on all issues,” he said. “Of course in this exchange the EU has something to say and we are sure it will help the development of our relations.”
EU sources said Friday that Perez Roque will hold landmark talks with an EU troika composed of French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, his Czech counterpart Karel Schwarzenberg and EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel.
Perez Roque said the meeting would take place on Thursday in Paris.
Moratinos said the talks are aimed at “normalizing relations between the EU and Cuba.”
EU-Cuba relations were frozen in 2003 when the EU imposed sanctions on the island nation in retaliation for the imprisonment of more than 70 dissidents, and the execution of three men convicted of hijacking a passenger ferry and demanding it be taken to the United States.
After a 2005 initiative from Spain to normalize relations, the EU moved definitively on June 19 to establish “political dialogue” and encourage changes carried out by Raul Castro’s government.
Last June, the EU moved definitively to establish “political dialogue” and encourage changes carried out by Raul Castro’s government.
And last month the Cuban government accepted the resumption of political dialogue with the 27-nation bloc.
The EU’s requirements for the suspension of sanctions include an annual review of relations, “improvement of the human rights situation” and the “release of political prisoners, including detainees imprisoned in 2003.”
Wire reports
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15 Comments
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0
CavemanLawyer
Ummmm....no......Cuba's foreign minister said that. Its a far cry from saying "Cuba" said it, and his power to do anything about it is quite limited. I really wish the fourth pillar would stop pandering fear and hate to the suckers of the world. --Cirroc
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skipthesong
Cuba says it will never renounce socialism"
Because its not socialism - its a dictatorship.
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adaydream
I think that better relations should be made between Cuba and the United States. This assinine blockade that has been between us for over 50 years is just that, assinine.
They claim their socialism. In some areas we need to practice it also. < :-)
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skipthesong
aday, the blockade is in a way stupid, but not for the same reasons as you. But either you refuse to understand the situation, which I think you do http://www.therealcuba.com/whereistheblockade.htm
Additionaly, any money that goes into Cuba, goes into the pockets of Castro and his friends. http://www.therealcuba.com/Castro%20the%20multimillionaire.htm
What so many think they know about Cuba, like M Moore, really in fact don't.
The so called socialism is really not much different than that of North Korea and dare challenge that system, even in thought. I have relatives still there and you can see the difference of years of brain washing when meeting both young and old.
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coulrophobic
Can you blame Castro and his brother and the cronies who run the only Stalinist outpost in the Western Hemishere?
America is poised to elect a socialist;ironically, it's probably Cuba's best chance to reverse 50 years of failure.
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skipthesong
If u reverse the policies Castro loses!
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SuperLib
Europe will most likely continue to support this dictator just as they've always done.
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adaydream
skipthesong - I understand the situation perfectly.
But why don't you tell me how this embargo is helping the Cubans? How is the embargo helping us? < :-)
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adaydream
If you got money you can fly to Mexico and then into Cuba for a nice cheap vacation.
If you're a poor Cuban-American, you can't visit Cuba to see your relations, by just flying from Miami to Havana.
Just one of many reasons the embargo is crap. < :-)
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skipthesong
Just one of many reasons the embargo is crap"
Aday, as long as we, as I am told, can prove we still have relatives on the island, we can fly out once a month. There have been certain restrictions, but many of us I really overly concerned. However, the new arrivals, those who did not leave in the 60's and who are young and thus grew up only under Castro, seem to have somewhat of pride for him but still will freely talk crap about him after a few shots of rum. One of the reason many publically have a loyalty to him is fear. Castro has run that place with fear. You can be imprisoned for just about anything.
For us, the embargo is one way of not letting Castro get his hands on any more money than what the US sends in aid. Very little of that trickles down to the average Cuban. Once outside of Havana, you'll understand what I mean. It boggles me why so many push for it.
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skipthesong
If socialism is so good, why do so many people from socialist countries run out of them to Capitalist countries and why are all the leaders of those countries nutty? Are we missing something?
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adaydream
Grass always seems greener on the other side of the fence. < :-)
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Sarge
I believe President Obama will reach out to Cuban dictator Raul Castro, perhaps even invite him to the White House, and end the embargo and help perpetuate dictatorship in Cuba.
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adaydream
There are other countries throughout the world that we deal with that are run by dictators or governments that allow little to no involvement from the people that follow.
We'll never see a time that all dictators are gone.
In Saudi Arabia we have Crown Prince Abdullah. george bush and all presidents work with him or bend over to him. Don't lay this dictatorship crap on me. < :-)
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