Urgent Action: Ask your MP for improved Europe/Cuba relations today
Campaign News | Tuesday, 19 February 2008
Please help to lobby the government in advance of European vote on Cuba
From March the UK government will be reviewing its relations with Cuba in advance of the annual European vote on the “common position” later this year.
We have just a few weeks to try and influence these discussions.
Please write to your MP today, asking them to call on the UK government to pursue an independent and constructive policy towards Cuba at this meeting.
Find out your MP’s email address at: http://www.writetothem.com/
More details and a model letter are available below or at:
http://www.cuba-solidarity.org.uk/EU-Model-Letter-Feb08.doc
PLEASE ADAPT THIS LETTER IN YOUR OWN WORDS REMEMBERING TO CALL FOR AN INDEPENDENT AND CONSTRUCTIVE POLICY TOWARDS CUBA AND ASKING FOR DETAILS ON HOW THE UK GOVERNMENT PLANS TO VOTE.
MODEL LETER
Dear <<your MP’s name>> MP
As one of your constituents I am writing to ask if you support an independent and constructive policy towards Cuba.
I would also like to ask if you know whether the British government plans to pursue an independent and constructive policy towards Cuba when it votes on the European “common position” in 2008.
I’m sure you will be as shocked as I was to learn that from 2000 to 2006 UK exports to Cuba declined by 48 per cent. This is in direct contrast to some of our EU partners.
Despite there being differences between our two countries, I believe that existing trade, cultural, scientific and sporting links should be protected and built upon, and I would be interested to know your views on this?
I understand that the UK will be reviewing its relations with Cuba in advance of the annual European vote in June this year. I believe that the punitive measures taken against Cuba as a result of the EU “common position” severely hamper normal relations between our two countries and would like to know how the government plans to vote at this meeting?
The recent examples of Hilton and Barclays Bank discriminating against Cuban customers illustrate how extraterritorial aspects of the United States blockade and the increasingly aggressive lobbying of EU member states by the Bush administration to increase sanctions against the island are negatively influencing UK and European relations with Cuba.
I believe that Cuba and the Cuban people have much to offer, and rather than putting up obstacles to dialogue we should be investigating areas where Cuba and the UK can work together for the benefit of humanity. I would be interested to know for example, whether the UK government has looked at opportunities to invest in Cuba’s biochemistry industry, or support Cuba’s humanitarian work to meet Millennium Development Goals by providing thousands of free medical scholarships to train doctors from developing countries?
Finally, I note that Spain’s Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos visited Cuba in 2007 to “normalise” his country’s relations with Cuba and sign an agreement to renew cooperation, and I would appreciate any efforts you may be able to make to influence our own Foreign Secretary David Miliband to follow suit.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to receiving your reply and thoughts on these matters.
Yours sincerely
<<your name>>
SEND TO YOUR MP BY POST OR VIA: www.writetothem.com
Please remember to send a copy of your reply to:
campaigns@cuba-solidarity.org.uk
or c/o Red Rose Club, 129 Seven Sisters Road, London, N7 7QG.
