16 July 1999
Text: Under Secretary Eizenstat on Cuba Sanctions
(Clinton renews suspension of Helms-Burton, Title III) (1550) Noting the "important steps" taken by U.S. allies to press for change in Cuba, President Clinton has again suspended provisions of U.S. law that would allow citizens to file suit over property confiscated by the Cuban government, Under Secretary of State Stuart Eizenstat said in a July 16 statement. Eizenstat, who has led the Clinton administration's multilateral effort to promote democracy and human rights in Cuba, highlighted numerous successes in that arena. These include the United Nations Commission on Human Rights' passage last April of a resolution offered by the Czech Republic and Poland on the human rights situation in Cuba. The resolution passed 21 to 20, despite "intense" Cuban pressure on many nations to vote "no" or to abstain, Eizenstat said. "In addition to support by all EU-member states and the Commission, the resolution received more Latin support than ever before." The president's decision suspends for an additional six months the Title III lawsuit provisions of the 1996 Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act, also known as Helms-Burton. Since passage of the law, Clinton has suspended Title III implementation in order to work with allies towards the goal of a free and democratic Cuba. "We have made steady, substantial progress since the President launched the multilateral pro-democracy initiative in 1996," Eizenstat said. "Before we began, the U.S. was largely acting alone in its efforts to promote democracy and human rights in Cuba. Now, the international community is no longer silent about the utter lack of democracy and human rights in Cuba." Following is the text of Eizenstat's statement: (begin text) THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman July 16, 1999 STATEMENT BY AMBASSADOR STUART E. EIZENSTAT UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ECONOMIC, BUSINESS, AND AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS SUSPENSION OF TITLE III LAWSUIT PROVISIONS OF THE CUBAN LIBERTY AND DEMOCRATIC SOLIDARITY ACT The President has announced his decision to again exercise the authority granted under the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act to suspend for another six months the Title III lawsuit provisions of the Act. The President made this decision because it is in the national interest and will hasten a peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba. As in the past, the President took into consideration the important steps taken by our allies and friends to promote democracy and human rights in Cuba. As the President noted, I have had the honor of working since 1996 to build a new, historic, multilateral effort to promote democracy and human rights in Cuba. Under the leadership of the President and the Secretary of State, we have continued our efforts to encourage other nations, especially in Europe and Latin America, to take specific, concrete steps based on their expressed commitment to human rights and democracy in Cuba. These efforts have resulted in new international attention to the plight of the Cuban people. The President's initiative to gain international support for democracy in Cuba -- the most ambitious since Castro seized power -- is yielding tangible positive results. In the past six months, governments, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector have taken additional important steps to promote democracy in Cuba. Cuban officials at home and abroad continue to hear a concerted message in support of democratic change. Leaders from around the world have raised the issue of human rights and democracy directly in their discussions with Cuban government officials and spoken out publicly in Cuba in support of human rights and democracy. During his visit to Havana in January, Canadian Foreign minister Lloyd Axworthy discussed the issue of human rights and the case of the four imprisoned leaders of the Dissident Working Group with President Fidel Castro and other senior Cuban officials. Belgian Foreign Minister Derycke also reviewed human rights with Cuban officials during a January visit to the island and gave a speech supporting human rights and democracy. Likewise, Colombian President Pastrana gave a speech at the University of Havana on January 15 which was a clear call to democracy and human rights. In addition, there was widespread international condemnation of the Cuban Government in March for the trial, conviction, and sentencing of the four leaders of the Dissident Working Group. Martha Beatriz Roque, Vladimiro Roca, Felix Bonne, and Rene Gomez received sentences of three and a half to five years merely for publishing a document that criticized Cuba's one-party system and called for democratic change. Canada's Prime Minister Chretien expressed disappointment at the trial and sentencing, noting that he had raised these cases with Castro himself last year. Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar said the "harsh, severe sentences" were "incomprehensible" "at the end of the twentieth century," and represent a "serious setback" for the situation in Cuba, and for the possibility of a visit by the King of Spain to Cuba. Brazil's government said it "regrets the recent conviction of four Cuban citizens in a closed trial, which neither the press nor diplomats were allowed to observe. The Japanese government issued a statement expressing its "regret" at the sentences, noting, "In Cuba, there are continuing violations of human rights, such as restrictions on the freedom of political activities, freedom of assembly and association, and freedom of expression." The European Commission, representing all member governments, issued a statement strongly condemning the trial and sentencing of the four. The statement defended the actions of the four, and expressed "grave concern." Another major development for which we worked hard was the passage in April by the UN Commission on Human Rights of the Resolution offered by the Czech Republic and Poland on the human rights situation in Cuba. The resolution passed 21 to 20, despite intense Cuban pressure on many nations to vote no or to abstain. In addition to support by all EU-member states and the Commission, the resolution received more Latin support than ever before. On June 25, the European Union Council renewed for an additional six months its Common Position on Cuba, initially announced in 1996. This pledges the EU to refrain from upgrading its economic and political relationships with the Cuban Government without concrete improvements in human rights and democracy in Cuba. The Council noted that "the parameters of Cuban domestic and foreign policy have not improved" over the past six months. With our encouragement, non-governmental organizations, human rights organizations, political parties, and other independent groups outside of Cuba continued to press for human rights and democratic change in Cuba. In December, officials of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions raised human rights issues with Cuban government officials in Havana. In a report released February 11, the International Press Institute (IPI) said, "Cuban authorities regularly threaten, arrest, and jail journalists, often attempting to 'persuade' them to leave the country." On February 23, Pax Christi, the respected Dutch human rights organization, issued a report entitled "Cuba: A Year After the Pope: return of the Iron Curtain?" The report cited examples of intensifying political repression, noting the passage of new repressive measures, such as the "Law for the Protection of the Cuban National Independence and Economy." Pax Christi said "Cuba is a ticking bomb.... The international community... should become more persistent in its pressure on Cuban authorities to respect human rights and start democratization." The Amnesty International annual report on Cuba, published in June, reported that Cuba held at least 350 political prisoners, including some 100 prisoners of conscience. The report noted that many political dissidents were detained for short periods or harassed, and there were frequent reports of ill treatment. The European news media has stepped-up its focus and commentary on Cuba's repressive human rights measures. Many editorials in respected newspapers from the left, center, and right have called for democracy and human rights in Cuba. On February 2, the Italian newspaper La Republica sharply criticized the Cuban government for repression and the arrest of six independent journalists. A front page commentary in Italy's top-circulation Corriere della Sera on March 5 condemned Cuban government repression and wondered why "international public opinion continues to be indulgent of sentimentally weak toward the Castro regime." In Denmark, Jyllands-Posten said March 9, "Castro chose to continue on the economic and social downward spiral that does not offer Cuba any hope as long as he is alive. The world's answer must be to continue its hard-line policy and thereby force Castro to accept democracy and the market economy." We have made steady, substantial progress since the President launched the multilateral pro-democracy initiative in 1996. Before we began, the U.S. was largely acting alone in its efforts to promote democracy and human rights in Cuba. Now, the international community is no longer silent about the utter lack of democracy and human rights in Cuba. The President and the Secretary of State has a strong, heartfelt, personal commitment to this effort to bring about the change that the people of Cuba for so long have sought. This progress could not have been made without the thorough and effective consultations we have carried on with the Congress. We will continue to work with our friends and allies and will consult closely with Congress on ways to advance the goal of a free, independent, and prosperous Cuba. (end text)
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