Chronicle on Cuba - June 2004

Foreign Affairs

June 1: Spain's governing Socialist party indicated that it hopes to improve bilateral relations with Cuba, ties that deteriorated during the previous conservative administration. The secretary of the ruling party's international committee, Trinidad Jimenez, met in Madrid with the vice president of Cuba's Council of Ministers, Jose Ramon Fernandez. Jimenez told the press that, during their meeting, Fernandez expressed his country's desire to "resume dialogue with Spain and the European Union." She added that her party considered relations with Cuba "extraordinarily important" because "we Spaniards have a lot in common with Cubans," including culture, trade relations and even family ties. But, for that to happen, the "will and effort of both countries" would be necessary, she added. (EFE, 1/6/04)

June 1: An urgent appeal to the UN Convention Against torture, and to the international public opinion, was made by Alejandrina García on behalf of her husband, political prisoner Diosdado González. Alejandrina requests urgent assistance due to inadequate treatment” received by her husband, a prisoner at Provincial Prison, Km 51/2, Pinar del Rio, where he is serving a 20 years sentence. She points out in the appeal that the prison regulations do not classify prisoners and that her husband is “ in danger of being placed alongside prisoners of different categories whom authorities do not care if they have had a criminal past or bad conduct”. (NetforCuba, 1/6/04)

June 2: Trade unions from 54 countries participating in the 92nd International Labor Conference taking place in Geneva have expressed their support for Cuba and condemned the measures announced by the US government to intensify the economic blockade of the island. Cuba's delegation to the meeting is being led by Pedro Ross Leal, General Secretary of the Confederation of Cuban Workers. (CTC) (Radio Habana Cuba, 2/6/04)

June 3: Mexico will not accept Cuba’s request to reinstate their respective ambassadors as a first step to normalize relations until the Cuban government explains the reasons why Cuba intervened in Mexico’s domestic affairs. According to Mexico’s foreign ministry, Cuba has not replied to a diplomatic note sent last April 29 asking for an explanation. Mexican foreign minister, Luis Ernesto Derbez, promised his Cuban counterpart, Felipe Pérez Roque, to visit Havana early in July; however, if an explanation has not been forthcoming before then, the visit will take place without ambassadors being present. (Grupo Reforma, 3/6/04)

June 3: UNICEF Spain has launched a campaign against sex tourism with the support of several airlines which have agreed to show a sensitization video on board their planes, informed the companies. The Spanish Association of Airline Companies (AECA), which includes all Spanish airlines except Iberia, agreed to prioritize the tape viewings during flights to classic sex destinations like Cuba, Brazil, Camboya and Thailand. (AFP, 3/6/04)

June 4: The regional government of the Canary Islands is set to provide more than 300,000 euros ($366,000) in aid to some 1,000 natives of the archipelago living in Cuba, officials said. The announcement was made during an official visit to the islands by Cuban Vice President, Jose Ramon Fernández. (EFE, 4/6/04)

June 4: Oman and Cuba pledged to strengthen their bilateral relations while exploring possibilities of joint ventures in various fields. Cuba's visiting Minister for Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Marta Morales, held talks with the top officials in the Sultanate. (Oman News, 4/6/04)

June 5: North Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Choi Su Hon is in Cuba for a three day official visit with the aim of strengthening bilateral relations and will meet Cuban Foreign Minister, Felipe Pérez Roque. Choi Su Hon expects to meet also with Cuban Deputy Foreign Ministers Abelardo Moreno and José A. Guerra Menchero,as well as ministry officials Rafael Dausá and Aramis Fuentes. (Prensa Latina, 6/6/04)

June 5: Fidel Castro decorated famous Spanish dancer Antonio Gades with the Jose Marti Order, the highest award the Cuban State confers to distinguished personalities, at a private ceremony. After the ceremony concluded, Gades said he received the decoration with the satisfaction of sharing it with all those who anonymously defend the Cuban Revolution. (Prensa Latina, 6/6/04)

June 7: The Foreign Affairs Ministers of the member countries of the European Union (EU), are expected to revise its document under the name Common Position on Cuba at their meeting on June 14 and 15, 2004 in Brussels, the EU said. The Common Position of the EU countries on Cuba is a document in force as of 1996. The revision comes in a difficult moment for the Cuban-EU relations, affected recently by a series of arrests and sentences against dissidents, made by Cuban authorities in 2003 and continuing in 2004. The EU imposed diplomatic sanctions on Cuba at the end of 2003. Cuba answered to the diplomatic sanctions, rejecting the humanitarian aid of the EU for Cuba. (Latin America News Digest, 7/6/04)