Strasbourg, 18/11/2004 (Agence Europe) - Reacting to the expulsion, by the Cuban authorities mid-October, of a Spanish parliamentarian and two Dutch parliamentarians as well as two NGO representatives, the European Parliament adopted on Wednesday a resolution by the EPP-ED, ALDE and UEN group deploring yet again the lack of significant democratic progress in Cuba. In this text adopted by 376 to 281 and 26 abstentions, the Parliament considers that release of all political prisoners, the authorisation for Oswaldo Paya Sardinas to travel, especially so that he may receive the Sakharov Prize awarded to him by the European Parliament in 2002, and significant progress in democracy and human rights are all essential conditions for possible changes to the EU common position on Cuba and measures adopted on 5 June 2003 (on discussions between Member States, see EUROPE of 17 November, p.6). At the same time, the Parliament stresses that the embargo currently imposed on Cuba by the United States is counter-productive and should be lifted.