The remarks by National Assembly President Ricardo Alarcon
kept up a stream of criticism from Havana of the EU-U.S. pact
last Monday on U.S. economic sanctions legislation, including
the 1996 Helms-Burton law aimed at communist-ruled Cuba.
In an interview published by the Cuban communist youth
weekly Juventud Rebelde, Alarcon said the EU-U.S. agreement left
the 36-year-old U.S. economic embargo against Cuba firmly in
place.
"All nations --- including the members of the European Union
--- remain victims of the extraterritorial measures that the U.S.
has been applying against Cuba for three decades through the
blockade,'' he said.
"It is absurd to think that an agreement can be reached
simply through a U.S. presidential promise to consult with the
barbarians in Congress to see if they are ready to ease up on
the threats (of sanctions),'' Alarcon added.
The Helms-Burton law, which has been strongly opposed by the
European Union, threatens sanctions against foreign investors in
Cuba who are judged to be "trafficking'' in expropriated,
formerly U.S.-owned properties on the island.
Under the May 18 EU-U.S. understanding, EU member
governments agree to accept "disciplines'' to deter and inhibit
investments by their nationals in illegally expropriated
properties in countries like Cuba.
In return, President Clinton's administration has pledged to
seek from Congress waivers on key clauses of the Helms-Burton
law that threaten penalties against European investors.
Alarcon noted that Sen. Jesse Helms, Republican chairman of
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and co-author of the
Helms-Burton law, had already spoken out against the EU-U.S.
agreement, indicating that it faced hurdles in Congress.
Since it was announced, the accord has come under steady
criticism from Cuban government officials, including President
Fidel Castro.
Speaking at the World Trade Organization in Geneva last
week, Castro slammed the pact as "confusing, contradictory and
threatening'' and said Cuba could not accept any agreement made
at its expense.
Cuba's government maintains the position that the entire
U.S. embargo policy against the Caribbean island, including the
Helms-Burton legislation, is unfair and in violation of
international law and therefore should be completely revoked.