US, EU challenges Cuba to free prisoners

EXTRA: US, EU challenges Cuba to free prisoners
Posted : Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:42:02 GMT
Author : DPA
Category : Europe (World)
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Brdo, Slovenia - The European Union and the United States on Tuesday
urged Cuba's new government to free "all political prisoners" to show it
is serious about improving human rights. US President George W Bush
sharpened that challenge to new Cuban President Raul Castro in remarks
after an EU-US summit in Slovenia, saying improved ties depended on a
prisoner release.

"Before relations should go forward, all political prisoners ought to be
freed," Bush told a news conference. "If the Castro administration
really is different, the first way to show that difference to the world
is to free the political prisoners."

Days after Castro took office as the island's new communist leader, Cuba
in February signed two international human rights pacts that Fidel
Castro opposed, including the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights.

In a joint statement after the EU-US summit, both sides welcomed Cuba's
signing of the treaty and urged the Castro government to ratify the
covenant "and demonstrate its commitment by unconditionally releasing
all political prisoners."

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/211394,extra-us-eu-challenges-cuba-to-free-prisoners.html