PRESS RELEASE: FREEDOM HOUSE SENDS LETTER TO SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER REGARDING RECENT VISIT TO CUBA

Mr. Moratinos’ visit, the first by a European Union Foreign Minister since Cuba’s human rights crackdown in 2003, occurred April 2-3, 2007. During the visit, he met with several high ranking Cuban officials, including acting President Raúl Castro, as well as the vice-president and the Cuban foreign minister.

However, Mr. Moratinos’ schedule did not include meetings with any of Cuba’s democracy advocates. Instead, he tasked a lower ranking official to meet with dissidents after his departure, in a move possibly designed to avoid upsetting Cuban authorities. In response, four of the six dissident leaders invited boycotted the gathering.

“Spain has long served as a model of a peaceful democratic transition and has played an important role in encouraging democratic reform around the world,” wrote Jennifer Windsor, Executive Director of Freedom House, in the letter. “The decision not to personally meet with those individuals on the front-lines of the peaceful struggle from democratic freedoms sent an unfortunate  --if unintended--  message that issues of human rights are not a top priority in Spanish foreign policy.”

During the visit, Spain and Cuba agreed to re-launch bilateral cooperation programs suspended after the 2003 crackdown, and agreed to regular political talks that reportedly may include discussions on human rights issues. In the letter to Mr. Moratinos, Freedom House urged the Spanish government to reject demands by the Cuban Foreign Minister that the agenda for talks with Spain not include discussions regarding the political prisoners.

Spain is a member of the European Union as well as of the Community of Democracies, an organization of countries that have pledged to uphold democratic ideals and promote human rights.

Contact: Amanda Abrams, 202-747-7035

The text of the letter follows.

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April 6, 2007

His Excellency Miguel Angel Moratinos
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Plaza de la Provincia, 1
28071 Madrid
Spain

Excellency:

Spain has long served as a model of a peaceful democratic transition and has played an important role in encouraging democratic reform around the world.    The Spanish government, as a member of both the European Union and the Community of Democracies, has committed itself to the promotion and protection of fundamental individual freedoms. 

Your recent visit to Cuba was the first by a European Union Foreign Minister since the human rights crackdown in 2003.   During your trip, you conducted meetings with several high ranking government officials, but unfortunately decided not to meet with any of Cuba’s democracy advocates.  Instead, after your departure, a lower ranking member of your delegation met with some representatives of the community.  

This decision not to personally meet with those individuals on the front-lines of the peaceful struggle from democratic freedoms sent an unfortunate  –if unintended-  message that issues of human rights are not a top priority in Spanish foreign policy. It also reinforced the perception –advanced by the government of Cuba- that those who are working for reform in the country are not legitimate interlocutors to consult on the future of Cuba. 

Freedom House encourages that human rights issues –especially the status of political prisoners– play an official part of the announced ongoing political dialogue. Freedom House strongly urges the Spanish government to make all efforts possible to ensure that the independent voices for democracy on the island are included in the process of dialogue on the ongoing transition.

Sincerely,

Jennifer L. Windsor
Executive Director

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Amanda Abrams
Communications Officer
Freedom House
1301 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, DC  20036
(202) 747-7035 (w)
(919) 491-2798 (c)
www.freedomhouse.org