MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Human Rights: Cuba expects Latinamerican solidarity

Cuba hopes no Latinamerican country will support or co-sponsor this year any draft resolution promoted by the United States before the United Nations Geneva Human Rights Commission, (HRC) targeted against Fidel Castro's regime.

Addressing the foreign press in Havana, Foreign Affairs Minister Felipe Perez Roque said "Cuba hopes this year no Latinamerican country will play the role of Cain in HRC and present, co-sponsor or vote in favour of any resolution drafted by the United States which only serves Washington to justify its blockade and aggression policies against our people".

"We know Washington has begun soundings, very discreet, we have the information they are working secretly to have a resolution sponsor", revealed Mr. Perez Roque who added that United States was having great difficulties in finding a co sponsor in Latinamerica and now "is pointing its radar towards East Europe".

Regarding the Mexican position Mr. Perez Roque said that President Fox administration "does not have a single reason to vote favourably a resolution project about human rights in Cuba fabricated by the United States".

In London Cuban Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Abelardo Moreno warned that United States may use the annual motion next May against Havana at the United Nations Geneva human rights forum to justify plans to topple President Fidel Castro. Last year Cuba was censured by just one vote in the annual diplomatic duel which is taken extremely seriously in both Havana and Washington.

"The US administration is talking about change of regime. They say we are one of the last outposts of tyranny in the world", said Mr. Moreno. "In that context the draft (human rights) resolution is the main pretext used by the US administration to maintain and step up its aggressive policy to Cuba".

Mr. Moreno reiterated Havana's public concern that US president George Bush may consider military action against Cuba, but said it was unlikely while US troops remain stretched in Iraq.

Mr. Perez Roque also rejected the recent US State Department report criticizing Cuba's human rights record saying the US has no moral authority to judge other countries after its own scandals over treatment of terror suspects.

"We ask American authorities to worry about their own problems; the US report has no credibility". "Cuba recognizes that there are violations of human rights in our country but they are at the Guantanamo naval base, in territory occupied against the will of Cuba", said the Cuban official in reference to the giant US base used as a prison for terror suspects who noted that the US State Department has not issued a report on the United States.