Bill's Comment Page

A salutary reminder about the reality of life in Castro’s Cuba

A powerful letter is published in the Daily Telegraph today from three former Presidents of post-Communist eastern Europe. All three were political prisoners in their own countries during the time of madness that was the Communist era in that part of Europe.

Lech Walesa (Poland), Vaclav Havel (Czech Republic) and Arpad Goncz (Hungary) wrote their letter six months to the day following the sentencing of 75 Cuban opposition leaders to lengthy terms of imprisonment. The three criticise the EU policy of “constructive engagement” and the American policy as a failure. They believe, correctly, that it is necessary for Europe and the US to adopt a common strategy based on making it unambiguously clear that “Fidel Castro is a dictator and that for democratic countries a dictatorship cannot become a partner until it commences a process of political liberalisation”. It should be remembered that these three countries will become members of the EU next year - they will add a necessary dose of clearheadedness to the EU's sometimes confused policies. It is to be hoped the US, too, will note their concerns.

Read the letter, and an accompanying article in today’s Daily Telegraph.