Wishes for an overthrow

HAVANA/BERLIN The European Union has imposed sanctions against Cuba and intends to increase support for the opponents of the Havana government in the future. This corresponds with the German Foreign Office's strategic plans for the Caribbean island, which in the meantime has become a focal point of German policy for Central America. The EU sanctions also imply a closer approach to US foreign policy which has worked towards the overthrow of the Cuban government for decades.

Several Cuban court decisions have triggered the sanctions which provide the EU with the pretext to interfere in Cuba's domestic affairs. Already in April, Claudia Roth, the representative for Human Rights for the German government, had criticised the Havana courts. Now Brussels plans to reduce its contacts with the Cuban government drastically, while simultaneously increasing its support for the Cuban opposition. The EU sanctions make an even greater difference because of Havana's considerable economic dependence on Brussels. The EU is Cuba's most important trade partner and the largest investor in the Caribbean island.

Models

With the support of the Cuban opposition the EU reflects Berlin's foreign policy, which has declared its ,,goal"to make drastic changes to the economic and social system of the Cuban Republic ( ,,reforms", ,,transition to democracy"). Critics claim that the overthrow of Belgrade in 2000 as well as the attempts at overthrowing the government of Venezuela since 2002, serve as models for such plans. There, too, Berlin had supported opposition to existing governments, in some cases in conjunction with foundations with close political ties.

German influence

Cuba, which due to the US embargo which began in 1962, has not had any economic relations worth mentioning with the US, meanwhile has become a major component of German foreign policy in the Caribbean. At the end of 1999 the German government decided to start a program of development in co-operation with Cuba. The establishment of a Goethe Institute in Havana is now under way. Berlin views the approximately 30,000 Cuban citizens who had studied or worked in the GDR, and who speak German, as a ,,great potential for the bilateral relations".

The Foreign Office declared that, as a whole, Cuba could ,,play an - even economically - significant role in the community of Caribbean states". German economic relations with the Caribbean island - comparatively few at present - have increased noticeably since the resumption of the Hermes-export guarantees of the year 2000. Cuba is considered an excellent location for biotechnology enterprises and offers ,,good preconditions"in information technology and tourism. According to information provided by Döring, economic minister of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Cuba is ,,accelerating"its efforts to ,,improve relations with Germany".

See also earlier article War or Change of Regime

Sources:
Außenpolitische Strategie für den karibischen Raum; www.auswaertiges-amt.de
Minister Döring eröffnet 2. Wirtschaftstag Kuba in Stuttgart; Pressemitteilung des Wirtschaftsministeriums Baden-Württemberg 26.03.2003
Menschenrechtsbeauftragte Roth fordert Aufhebung der Urteile gegen kubanische Oppositionelle; Pressemitteilung des Auswärtigen Amts 08.04.2003
Sanktionen der EU gegen Kuba; Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 07.06.2003


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