Obama says he’ll press Cuba on human rights

Obama says he'll press Cuba on human rights
BY LESLEY CLARK
McClatchy Washington Bureau January 6, 2015

The U.S. will enter into talks with Cuba even if it hasn't released all
of the 53 political prisoners it pledged it would when President Barack
Obama announced plans to normalize relations with the island.

The White House said Tuesday that Cuba has released "some" of the
prisoners, but White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said he couldn't
discuss specific numbers.

"We've been careful about talking about the number of prisoners and who
they are because we don't want to put an even bigger target on their
back as political dissidents," Earnest said, noting that the White House
hopes to see all the prisoners released "in the near future."

He said the Cuban government made the pledge not only to the U.S., but
to the Vatican, which played a role in brokering talks between the U.S.
and Cuba after more than 50 years of icy relations.

"The expectation right now is that they've already made this commitment
and we expect them to live up to it," Earnest said.

The remarks came as members of Congress pressed the administration to
scrap upcoming talks until Havana delivers on its promise to release
political prisoners, but the State Department plans to hold talks with
Cuba this month to begin hammering out details of opening a new embassy
even if all the prisoners are not released, spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

"We're looking to get them released, and this is the process that we
think will be most effective in getting that done," said Psaki, who said
she expected to soon announce a date for the talks.

She said the U.S. believes with a new policy of engagement it will have
an opportunity to talk with Cuba.

"This is an ongoing process," she said, adding that the administration
"didn't expect it would be overnight. They've committed to do this, and
we'll continue to have a discussion about it."

Some dissidents have suggested that some of the prisoners on the list
had previously been released, but Psaki said the U.S. put the list
together with the goal of releasing additional political prisoners.

"It wasn't to check a box or just be able to say we took part in a
release when they were already released," she said.

Roberta Jacobson, the assistant secretary of state for Western
Hemisphere Affairs, is expected to lead the talks with Cuban officials
later this month in Havana.

Obama insisted Tuesday that he'll continue to press the Cuban government
on its human rights record as he secured support from of Mexican
President Enrique Pena Nieto, who, meeting with Obama in the Oval
Office, called the decision to reestablish diplomatic relations with
Cuba an "audacious" one.

He said Mexico hopes to collaborate with both countries in the effort.

"Mexico will be a tireless supporter of the good relationship between
two neighbors," Pena Nieto said.

The U.S. snub of Cuba has been a sticking point with a number of
governments, including Mexico, which has long maintained ties with Cuba.
Peña Nieto late last year agreed to forgive 70 percent of Cuba's nearly
$500 million foreign debt to his country, months after an official visit
to the island where he met with semi-retired Cuban leader Fidel Castro
and praised him as "Cuba's political and moral leader."

Obama said he hopes for a "more constructive policy" with Cuba, but said
he will "insist" that it include discussions about human rights,
democracy and political freedom, including at the upcoming Summit of the
Americas.

His remarks came as Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., called on Obama to cancel
upcoming talks on normalizing relations until the Cuban government
releases 53 prisoners whom Cuban leader Raul Castro had said would be
released when Obama announced the change in Cuba policy three weeks ago.

"To date, no information has been provided about the political prisoners
to be released – regarding their identities, conditions or whereabouts,
even on a confidential basis, to members of Congress," Rubio wrote to Obama.

Rubio, who has opposed Obama's policy changes, called on the
administration to hold the regime accountable for freeing the 53, along
with others who have been detained in recent weeks.

"A failure to do so will further embolden the regime to continue its
oppression," Rubio said.

Source: Obama says he'll press Cuba on human rights | Politics | The Sun
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