Spain criticizes Cuba over dissident's death

Spain criticizes Cuba over dissident's death
Posted : Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:22:15 GMT
By : dpa

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Madrid - Spain deplored the death of Cuban dissident Orlando Zapata
Tamayo, who died after a hunger strike of more than 80 days, Third
Deputy Premier Manuel Chaves said Wednesday. The Spanish European Union
presidency has encouraged the 27-nation bloc to upgrade its relations
with Cuba, arguing that the union's current policy of strictly linking
dialogue with human rights has yielded few results.

Chaves said Zapata's death on Tuesday showed that there was a "deficit"
in human rights in Cuba.

Spain had expressed concern for Zapata's health at a recent bilateral
Spanish-Cuban meeting in Madrid, government sources said.

Jose Antonio Alonso, a spokesman for Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez
Zapatero's Socialist Party, called for human rights and democracy for
all Cubans, pledging that Spain would work towards that end.

The conservative opposition urged the government to reconsider what it
considers Spain's soft policy on Cuba.

Spain criticizes Cuba over dissident's death : Europe World (24 February
2010)
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/311022,spain-criticizes-cuba-over-dissidents-death.html