[NYTr] Cuba Blasts Hungary's Assistance to US in Violating Migration Accords

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Granma Daily - Aug 22, 2007
http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/english/news/art09.html


Cuba’s position on the most recent violation of 
the migratory agreements

Statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Translation by Granma International

THE vague and confused news reached us via the international press in
the morning of Saturday 18th. According to Reuters, "Hungary has
guaranteed political asylum to 29 Cubans detained on the U.S.
Guantanamo Naval Base… The U.S. forces returned 44 Cubans captured at
sea and 17 of them went on a 3-week hunger strike in protest at the
conditions of their detention and to demand entry into the United
States… The United States had been seeking countries prepared to accept
them… Hungary guaranteed asylum to 29 of them, while the United States
is to cover the cost of their rent, winter clothes and language courses
for one year… another five are to receive U.S. visas and some are
awaiting permission from a third country… Many of the detainees were
figures from the Cuban opposition and would be persecuted if they were
returned to Cuba."

According to EFE, "Marta Fekszi Horvath, Hungarian secretary of state
for foreign relations, confirmed the news," while the official
Hungarian news agency MTI stated that "the current decision is the
result of a longer coordination: the matter was discussed in a meeting
between U.S. President George W. Bush and Hungarian Prime Minister
Ferenc Gyurcsany on the occasion of the former’s visit to Hungary last
year."

By not returning these illegal emigrants intercepted at sea, the
government of the United States is once again flagrantly violating the
Migratory Agreements signed with Cuba. The Joint Statement of May 2,
1995 binds it to the accord "that Cuban emigrants intercepted on the
open sea by the United States trying to enter the United States will be
returned to Cuba. Similarly, emigrants illegally entering the
Guantánamo Naval Base will also be returned to Cuba."

By deciding to send them to its illegal naval base in Guantánamo, it is
likewise violating the spurious Coaling and Naval Stations Agreement
that it imposed on Cuba in 1903, in which is textually commits itself
"to do everything necessary to provision those places to be used
exclusively as coaling or naval stations and for no other object."

With this irresponsible decision, the Empire is stimulating illegal
emigration from Cuba while hypocritically stating that it is concerned
about it. While it is organizing exercises to deal with a hypothetical
mass exodus, it is failing to fulfill its obligations and is not
returning to Cuba 16 out of every 100 illegal emigrants intercepted at
sea. Meanwhile, it is constructing a center for illegal emigrants on
the base, maintaining the Cuban Adjustment Act and the so called
dry-foot, wet-foot policy, both veritable stimulants for illegal
emigration from Cuba. It should be recalled what comrade Fidel wrote a
few days ago. Why so much talk, threats and brouhaha?

The Hungarian government is acting as an accomplice of the Empire. It
is collecting points, awaiting its prize. It is insisting, servilely,
on demonstrating to the powerful and aggressive master that it can
count on its abject fidelity.

This is not the first time. In December 2006, the Hungarian Foreign
Ministry met up in Miami with the mafia. There it offered the Batista
followers and terrorists of always its experience on the "democratic
transition" in Cuba. Subsequently it received the worst of the Miami
fauna in Budapest.

Instead of concerning itself with trying to treat its Romany minority,
the object of discrimination, as human beings, the Hungarian government
is granting "political asylum" to a group of illegal Cuban emigrants.
It is lying and prostituting the term. Like its patron, it knows very
well that these people are not persecuted in Cuba; far less "figures
from the Cuban opposition." They are, simply, economic emigrants who
probably do not qualify for visas from the U.S. government on account
of their criminal record or educational level. Maybe that is the reason
that the Empire is passing them on to its lackey, with Hungarian
language courses, winter clothes and their rent covered for a year
included?

Meanwhile, Cuba is resisting the Empire and disregarding the lackey.
Fighting with ideas and denouncing. Defending principles. It knows that
neither empires nor lackeys can prevent its people from constructing
the most cultured and just society of solidarity that has ever existed.

Havana, August 21, 2007

                              ***

sent by rick kissell

BBC News - Aug 23, 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/6960877.stm

Hungary in asylum spat with Cuba

Hungary has angrily rejected criticism from Cuba over its decision to 
grant asylum to 29 Cubans.

The Cuban state newspaper Granma called Hungary's behaviour towards the 
US "servile" and accused it of being "an accomplice of the Empire".

Hungary's foreign ministry hit back on Thursday, saying it "firmly 
rejects" Cuba's criticism. It said asylum was being granted for 
humanitarian reasons.

The US is holding the 29 - picked up at sea - at its Guantanamo Bay 
naval base.

They are among 44 Cubans being held there while the US arranges asylum 
destinations for them.

Seventeen of the Cubans had gone on hunger strike over their conditions 
at the base, but they ended it on 17 August after Hungary had announced 
its asylum offer.

Cuba and Hungary used to be Soviet bloc allies before the collapse of 
communism.

The Hungarian statement said Hungary "maintains critical dialogue with 
the Cuban government, while aiming to establish widespread contacts
with representatives of the civil society and the peaceful opposition".

It said Hungary wanted to "encourage democratic development" in Cuba.

© BBC MMVII