March 31, 2015, the first meeting took place between delegations from the United States and Cuba on human rights issues, as was proposed by Cuba in July of 2014, and accepted by the U.S. in January this year. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Tomasz Malinowski, and Pedro Luis Pedroso Cuesta, Cuban Ministry of Foreign Relations deputy director for multilateral affairs and international law, led their respective delegations which dialogued in a respectful, professional environment.
Cuba’s representatives expressed their interest in the dialogue contributing to addressing the issue of human rights effectively and without discrimination, with full respect for sovereign equality, independence and non-intervention in the internal affairs of the parties.
The Cuban delegation likewise emphasized the necessity of addressing an adequate balance of questions within the area of civil and political rights and that of economic, social and cultural rights. The Cuban delegation conveyed with equal emphasis its profound concern regarding guarantees for and protection of human rights in the U.S. – in particular the worsening of police brutality and abuse, following a discriminatory pattern, and limitations on the exercise of labor rights and internationally recognized trade union freedoms.
At the same time, Cuba emphasized violations of human rights in the so-called war on terrorism, including torture, extra-judicial executions with the use of drones, espionage, and extraterritorial surveillance.
Conscious of our profound differences with the U.S. government in the arena of political systems, democracy and international law, Cuba reaffirms its invariable intention that the two countries relate to each other in a civilized manner with recognition of and respect for these differences, as well as its willingness to address any issue whatsoever with the United States, within a framework of quality, respect and reciprocity.
Cuban Ministry of Foreign Relations
