Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 88: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if meetings are planned with his Spanish counterparts in an attempt to coordinate their opposing positions on Cuba and to ignore the US position on Cuba and not make life more difficult for the Cuban people. [7229/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the European Union's 1996 Common Position on Cuba remains the basis of both the European Union's and Ireland's approach to relations with that country. The overriding objective of Ireland and our European Union partners, including Spain, in our relations with Cuba is to encourage, but not to enforce by external coercion, a process of transition to pluralist democracy and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Spanish bilateral initiatives with Cuba, including the establishment of a Human Rights Dialogue, have been pursued in accordance with the Common Position and with the relevant Conclusions subsequently adopted by the General Affairs and External Relations Council. The question of a meeting with my Spanish colleague to coordinate 'opposing positions' simply does not arise therefore.

The Common Position was most recently reviewed at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 18 June 2007, at which I participated. The Council's Conclusions deplored the fact that the human rights situation in Cuba has not fundamentally changed, and noted that the Cuban Government continues to deny its citizens internationally recognised civil, political and economic rights and freedoms. We also recognised the right of Cuban citizens to decide independently about their future.

While the European Union will continue to pursue its dialogue with Cuba's civil society and to offer to all sectors of society practical support towards peaceful change in Cuba, the Council also emphasised the Union's willingness to resume a comprehensive and open political dialogue with the Cuban authorities on all areas of mutual interest. In order to sound out the potential for such a dialogue, which should take place on a reciprocal and non-discriminatory basis, the Council decided to invite a Cuban delegation to Brussels.

The Council Conclusions represent a balanced approach, which is in accordance with the principles of the Common Position. The decision which we took in Council to invite a Cuban delegation to Brussels would provide an opportunity for establishing an open political dialogue with the Cuban authorities. The Cuban authorities have rejected this invitation. However, we remain hopeful that such a dialogue will be established in the future. In this regard, on foot of a further initiative of the European Union, a Ministerial-level meeting between the European Union Troika and Cuba was held en marge of the 62nd United Nations General Assembly in New York on 24 September 2007.

In respect of US foreign policy toward Cuba, as I informed the Deputy in my responses to Parliamentary Question Numbers 95 of 1 November, 2007, and 176 of 7th November, 2007, Ireland and our European Union partners believe that this is fundamentally a bilateral issue. Nonetheless, the European Union has clearly expressed the opposition of its Member States to all unilateral measures against Cuba which are contrary to commonly accepted rules of international trade. Ireland, in common with our partners in the European Union, is of the view that the US economic embargo on Cuba seriously hampers the economic development of Cuba and negatively affects its entire people. On 30 October, 2007, Ireland and our EU partners therefore voted at the United Nations General Assembly in favour of the annual Cuban-tabled resolution calling for an end to this embargo.

As the Deputy will be aware, on 18 February, 2007, President Fidel Castro announced his decision not to seek re-election as President of Cuba. During the forthcoming period of transition, we will continue to monitor developments closely and support, along with our EU partners, all efforts by the Cuban people to move towards a pluralist democratic society.