The Week in Europe
By David Jessop

On December 5 and 6 a unique meeting took place in London. Its objective was
to explore the ways in which Cuba's relationship with the United Kingdom has
developed over the last five years and to consider the steps necessary to
foster its further development in the coming years.

It was unlike any other Caribbean event to have taken place in Europe in
recent years. It said much about the ways in which an effective interest
group can be created in a relatively short time, around a single Caribbean
nation. But, more importantly, it raised important issues about Cuba's vital
role in the future development of the Caribbean and the need for Europe to
recognise this better.

At the event there were two important statements about Cuba's future role as
a Caribbean nation. In a special closing session the first came from Ricardo
Cabrisas, the Cuban Minister of State in the Presidency with special
responsibility for international trade negotiations. The other from Sir
Shridath Ramphal, the Head of the Caribbean's Regional Negotiating
machinery. Both spoke about Cuba's future as an integral part of the
Caribbean region.

In his remarks Minister Cabrisas made clear, unequivocally, that Cuba was a
Caribbean nation. This is more significant than it may seem. Earlier in the
year there had been some doubt about the weight Cuba would place on its
regional relations after it had effectively been forced by some EU member
states to retire it's application to become a signatory to the EU/ACP
Cotonou Convention. So much so that in some ministries in Havana there was,
for a short time, a view that Cuba was first and foremost a Latin nation and
that this view should take precedence over continuing to pursue an ACP
relationship predicated on Cuba's role as a Caribbean nation. For those who
understand the nature of Cuba's complex decision making process and the
language that is used, Minister Cabrisas statement in London made clear the
absolute nature of Cuba's engagement with the Caribbean region. It confirmed
that it is a strategic decision and as such one that can not be compromised.


Minister Cabrisas said that Cuba was an inseparable part of the Caribbean.
Its history and cultural identity had been forged in the Caribbean. It
recognised the support that the Caribbean had provided at critical moments
in Cuba's history. Trade with the region was growing despite the problems of
transport. Because Cuba's trade with Caricom was complimentary Cuba's
economy and that of the region would gradually converge. The Minister said
that diplomatic missions would soon be open in all Caribbean nations. The
trade and tourism relationship was being developed in a way that was
complimentary to the rest of the region. In the course of his address, he
also noted that Cuba favours Cariforum continuing as a regional mechanism
for co-ordination and supports studies to consider its future finances and
structure. He also stated that Cuba believes the Caribbean's Regional
Negotiating Machinery was a vital element in the process of Caribbean
development.

During the course of his remarks, Minister Cabrisas supported the
Caribbean's concerns that as presently drafted, the European Commission's
(EC) 'Everything but Arms Initiative' might damage the region's competitive
advantage. While supporting the initiative fully, it could not be, he said,
at the expense of the rice, sugar and rum industries of the Caribbean.

Minister Cabrisas's statement was followed by another from Sir Shridath
Ramphal. He made clear the importance of increasing the size of the
Caribbean community through the inclusion of Cuba. He also noted the
importance of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) in further widening
the concept of a Caribbean which incudes Cuba.

During the course of his remarks, Sir Shridath was especially critical of
the failure of certain European nations to recognise the importance of
bringing Cuba into wider international groupings. Cuba would shortly become
a full member of the ACP, but the Caribbean had "failed so far to overcome
blinkered attitudes in Europe that effectively forced Cuba out as a founder
member of the Cotonou agreement", he said. He especially singled out the
United Kingdom who, together with the EU had, as he put it, "contrived that
denouement". "The loss was not Cuba's but .... longer term EU relations and
influence", he suggested.

Sir Shridath called on the United Kingdom to show a larger vision in Europe
in relation to Cuba, one more resonant with its recent vote in the UN
against the US embargo of Cuba. He also noted that Cuba is inexorably a part
of the Caribbean.

The meeting was attended by over 200 persons including Ministers and Members
of Parliament from both tendencies within the governing British Labour Party
and leading members of the opposition Conservative Party. Also present were
large numbers of senior representatives of major British companies, small
trading companies, academics, scientists, doctors, and advisers to
Government and representatives of national institutions. On the Cuban side
there was a 17 person Cuban delegation consisting of vice ministers,
academicians, leading members of the Cuban government and officials and many
European based diplomats and officials.

The topics considered included the ways and areas in which further trade and
investment might be financed and fostered; the growing opportunities for
scientific and technical co-operation between Britain and Cuba; the rapid
movement towards joint public programmes of co-operation in the field of
health care; and the role of non Governmental organisations in Cuba's
development.

Overall the meeting was constructive and built on a belief that dialogue and
co-operation rather than coercion and exclusion was the best way to relate
to Cuba. As Brian Wilson, the Minister of State in Britain's Scotland Office
put it: "to respect the achievements of Cuba is not to be blind to its
weaknesses and difficulties....Cuba is undoubtedly different and having
agreed on that, it should be possible to move on and treat it with the
respect deserves as a commercial partner confident in the knowledge that
nothing changes attitudes and prejudices like personal contact and doing
business".

The event and the way in which Cuba has been able to build over the last
five years its now very strong relationship with all aspects of British
society could easily be replicated in the UK or elsewhere by most Caribbean
nations and most especially those with large resident communities. It is a
model the rest of the region might usefully study.

David Jessop is the Executive Director of the Caribbean Council for Europe
and can be contacted at [log in to unmask]

8 December, 2000


Dr. Amanda Sives
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Commonwealth Policy Studies Unit
Institute of Commonwealth Studies
28 Russell Square
London, WC1B 5DS

Tel: +44 0207-862-8865
Fax: +44 0207-862-8820
Website: http://www.sas.ac.uk/commonwealthstudies/