Cotonou, 22/06/2000 (Agence Europe) - Invited to take part as an observer in the 71st session of the ACP Council of Ministers, that took place on Wednesday in Cotonou (Benin), on the eve of the joint ACP/EU ministerial session, Cuba outlined the reasons for the withdrawal of its candidature for the new ACP/EU partnership agreement (which will be signed, this Friday, in the capital of Benin) and expressed its desire to become a full member of the ACP group, outside of the framework joining the ACP States to the European Union.
In an especially tough speech, Rocardo Cabrisas, State Minister for the Cuban Republic, deplored the active support brought by the EU to "an infamous manoeuvre by the United States in the Geneva Human Rights Committee" and the attack thus made to the "respect for the self-determination and sovereignty of the Cuban people" (see EUROPE of 29 April, p.9). Also denouncing the "unjust and unjustifiable" common position of the EU towards Cuba and its refusal to modify the terms for the last four years, the Cuban Minister added: "certain EU countries are practically hostile to Cuban entry into the new agreement". This hostility, according to him, is the resorting to discriminatory requirements against Cuba and justifies Cuba's withdrawal of its candidacy for fear that "this selective and discriminatory approach is not also applied in the framework of the new agreement."
Nevertheless, Mr. Cabrisas underlined that this unfortunate issue, should not in anyway "bring prejudice to the indestructible historical and growing ties" that unite Cuba and the ACP States in their diplomatic and trade relations, but still in our interest and growing co-operation, which started in Africa in 1960 - ties "that have their own importance and own meaning" and "can be raised to a higher level." "We believe that the ACP group is being called on to play an even more significant role as both a consultation and uniting mechanism for our Nations, in view of defending the legitimate aspirations of the Southern countries. With regard to this, it should increasingly "provide itself with its own identity, in the face of the most diverse international phenomenon and forums, where the role of humanity is played out," announced the Cuban Minister when expressing his country's desire to become a full member of the ACP group and a member of the Cariforum group. "Becoming a fully fledged member of the ACP group enables us to take part, at your side, in the decisive and inalienable consultation efforts and united action between our peoples, in view of facing the present difficulties and to surmount them," he stated. In the meantime, Cuba will continue to be a permanent observer of the group.
This request was strongly welcomed by the ACP Council. During a press conference, Jean-Robert Goulangana, Secretary General of the ACP group, did confirm "the maintaining of Cuba's observer status while awaiting the modification of the Georgetown agreement (founding text of the ACP group) that will enable Cuba to become a full member of the ACP group without taking part in the ACP/EU partnership agreement." The legal issue that will arise will be duly examined in view of submitting a proposal in November in Brussels, he added (according to the terms of the Georgetown agreement, the ACP group defines itself as a group of African, Caribbean and Pacific States signatories of the ACP/EU agreements; thus it requires the modification of the provisions and to determine if, to do this, the EU assent is required or not). As a symbol of the Group's solidarity with Cuba, the Secretary General announced that Anicet Georges Dologuele, acting President of the ACP Council and Prime Minister of the Central African Republic, accepted the invitation made to him to go to Cuba during the month of July. Also to confirm the ACP group's hope that the dialogue between the EU and Cuba not be definitively broken to allow for the accession, in a future stage, of Cuba to a new ACP/EU agreement.
Questioned on the conditions to be met for Cuba to come back on its position on this issue, the Cuban Minister answered: "Firstly it is necessary that there are no conditions set and discriminatory treatment and secondly, that our participation does not affect the privileges enjoyed by the other ACP countries." Qualifying the Cuban relations with the EU as "generally excellent at a bilateral level," he felt that it was "contradictory with the EU's position towards it."