TUC urges British government to end EU 'common position'
Campaign News | Monday, 18 October 2010
Brendan Barber, General Secretary of the TUC (the national trade union centre representing six million British workers) has written to the British Foreign office and Baroness Cathy Ashton, High Representative of the European Commission calling for Britain to support the normalisation of relations between Britian and Cuba when the European Common Position is reviewed on Monday 25 October 2010.
Copies of the letters are reproduced below.
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Jeremy Browne MP
Minister of State
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
06.10.10
Dear Jeremy
EU Common Position on Cuba
As you may be aware the TUC has longstanding policy relating to the lifting of the illegal US economic blockade of Cuba. We welcome the UK governments continuing opposition to the blockade and we are keen to encourage more proactive engagement between the British and other European governments and Cuba.
It is our understanding that a final decision on possible adjustments to the EU Common Position will take place on 25 October. We understand that the Spanish government along with a number of others are keen to see an opening up of the Common Position to encourage greater contact, including ministerial visits.
I hope that the coalition government shares our view that increased engagement and further normalisation of Britain and Europe’s relations with Cuba would be of benefit to both our and Cuban citizens.
For your information I have also written to Baroness Ashton on this matter.
Yours sincerely
BRENDAN BARBER
General Secretary
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Baroness Catherine Ashton High Representative European Commission
06.10.10
Dear Cathy
EU Common Position on Cuba
As you know the TUC has longstanding policy relating to the lifting of the illegal US economic blockade of Cuba and we support the EU’s continued call for an end to this blockade. However we also remain keen to encourage more proactive engagement between EU governments and Cuba.
I wrote to you in similar terms prior to the Madrid Summit in the spring where we believed that the EU common position was going to reviewed however this decision was delayed until the autumn and as I understand it a final decision will now be taken on 25 October.
I hope you share our view that further normalisation of relations between the EU, member states and Cuba would be of benefit to both EU and Cuban citizens.
It is our understanding that the Spanish government and a number of others still wish to see a significant change and opening up of the Common Position and we hope you are able to support this. For your information I have also written to the relevant ministers in the UK on this issue.
Yours sincerely
BRENDAN BARBER
General Secretary
