By Leslie Crawford in Madrid
Published: June 1 2007 19:27 | Last updated: June 1 2007 19:27
The US and Spain on Friday clashed over how to promote a democratic
transition in Cuba, during the first official visit to Madrid by
Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state.
Spain has never broken relations with its former colony, even during
General Francisco Franco's strongly anti-Communist dictatorship, and
favours constructive engagement with Fidel Castro's regime. Spanish
companies have big investments in the island's tourism and tobacco
industries.
After meeting Miguel Angel Moratinos, the Spanish foreign minister, in
Madrid, Ms Rice said: "I have real doubts about the value of engagement
with a regime that is anti-democratic and that is trying to secure the
transition of one regime to the next anti-democratic regime."
Mr Moratinos said: "I hope that, over time, we will convince Ms Rice
that our tactics can deliver results." Earlier this week, Spanish
diplomats were allowed to visit Cuban jails for the first time. Cuba and
Spain agreed to establish a dialogue on human rights following a visit
by Mr Moratinos to Havana in April.
Ms Rice said Cuba needed "structural change," not a dynastic succession,
and implied that Spain should be more sympathetic to the plight of Mr
Castro's political opponents.
Mr Moratinos was criticised by human rights groups for not meeting
dissidents during his visit in April, but on Friday he bristled at the
implication that Spain was not doing enough to promote human rights on
the Caribbean island.
"We have no difficulty talking to dissidents," he said. "The Spanish
embassy in Havana is in contact with them. Our diplomats visit Cuba and
talk to dissidents. We worry about them and we have even secured the
release of some of them. Who has talked more to them? Who?" he asked.
Mr Moratinos said he and Ms Rice had had "frank" discussions and that
they had agreed to better align tactics on the shared goal of bringing
democracy to Cuba. "We will work more closely to ensure our efforts are
complementary and not contradictory," he said.
There was some agreement on Venezuela. Both Ms Rice and Mr Moratinos
expressed concern at the closure of a television station in Caracas that
was critical of Hugo Chávez, the Venezuelan president. The two called on
Mr Chávez to cease his attacks on the free press.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
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