Brussels, 10/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - The ACP States are not resigned about the withdrawal of Cuba's candidature from the new ACP/European Union partnership agreement, which conditions the island's accession to the ACP group as a full member. The unanimous support to the Cuban authorities expressed by the new ACP Council Bureau, which met on Wednesday in Brussels, (see yesterday's EUROPE, page 13), and its decision to send a mission to Cuba in the near future, in order to discuss the situation and attempt to make political dialogue develop between the Cuban authorities and the Union are proof of this.
"We respect Cuba's decision. We understand the Union's position which can be defended but, at the ACP level, there is "no Cuba problem". In our view, Cuba still remains an observer within the ACP institutions as the Cuban authorities have stated they do not wish to break off dialogue. We shall ensure that the problem with the Union is settled as rapidly as possible", explained Anicet George Dologuele, Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, the Plan and International Trade of the Central African Republic and President-in-office of the ACP Council during a press conference. To add actions to words, the ACP Council office has decided to invite Cuba to take part, as an observer, at the ACP Council of Ministers on 5 and 6 June in Fiji (Suva), which will precede the ACP/EU Joint Council (and 7 June) and the signature of the new Convention on 8 June. A formal invitation, signed by the president of the ACP Council (or by the ACP secretary general under cover of the president) will leave forthwith. The mission despatched to provide its good offices will leave after the ministerial sessions in Fiji.
According to a source close to the bureau, the ACP ministers felt that the presence of Cuba in Fiji would have a strong symbolic value. The ACP States are not able to invite Cuba to take part in the ACP-EC joint session without agreement from the European side, and so the Bureau has called on the secretariat general and the ACP Council to make contact with the European, partners to know whether they object to Cuba's participation. According to the same source, the support of ACP ministers to Cuba is not of an ideological nature as the countries, with all political tendencies and geographic regions together, have expressed themselves along the same lines. The ACP States consider they have a great deal to lose if Cuba is not part of their group, mainly in terms of intra-ACP cooperation.