Mike Blanchfield, Canwest News Service
Published: Saturday, May 16, 2009
Canada's cabinet minister for Latin America says he has no regrets about
chiding Cuba on human rights, even though Havana abruptly cancelled the
trip he was to make there next week.
But Peter Kent, minister of state for foreign affairs for the Americas,
says Canada has only good intentions in helping Cuba reform. That's
because it stands "at a crossroads in history" with positive overtures
coming from U.S. President Barack Obama that could end the
half-century-old U.S. embargo which the minister says has isolated Cuba.
In an interview with Canwest News Service and Global News, Kent said the
quiet diplomacy or "constructive engagement" of past Liberal governments
has not worked and that Canadians expect their government to conduct
human rights discussions in the open, not behind closed doors.
"This government is much more open in its discussion of foreign policy
in speaking up on human rights, not just in the Cuban situation, but in
other countries around the world and I think that the Canadian public as
well, as perhaps citizens of Cuba . . . deserve a chance to see the
process," said Kent.
"We are very understanding of the Cuban situation. They have been
isolated through the years of the Cold War by the Helms Burton embargo,
but Cuba stands today at a crossroads of history and Canada."
Kent learned 10 days ago that his planned trip to Havana was no longer
possible. The Cuban government gave no clear explanation other than it
would not be able to accommodate him. It is unclear whether Kent's tough
language -- as well as some frank talk from Prime Minister Stephen
Harper about Cuba's totalitarian state -- rubbed the Cuban communist
regime the wrong way.
Kent has previously said he wanted to use the trip to prod the Castro
regime to release political prisoners, to show better respect for human
rights and to open itself up to allowing meaningful political dissent.
Canada, Cuba must talk publicly, says minister (17 May 2009)
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