Holy fucking shit - glasnost hits Cuba

[Taverner]

Cuba makes human rights promise

Cuban leader Fidel Castro has been beset by ill-health
Cuba is going to sign up to two major United Nations agreements on civil and political rights, Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque confirmed.
Legally binding protocols on economic, social and cultural issues, and civil and political rights, make up the UN Bill of Human Rights.

Communist Cuba is one of the countries which has never signed up.

The news came as government supporters shouted down dissidents marking the UN's international human rights day.


<SNIP>

When it signs up to the protocols early next year, Cuba will commit to allowing freedom of expression and association and the right to travel abroad, among other things.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7137772.stm

[ShaneGR]

1. Welcome to the future....

In 10 years Cuba will be free enterprise and Americans will actively be investing again, 90 miles away, only a matter of time.

[Taverner]

5. What I love is that they will be damned if the Miami Cubans have any part in it

[SteppingRazor]

15. Despite the fact that the hardliners are always saying they'll be the first to go back to Cuba...

when it becomes a free society.

[peacetalksforall]

12. Yeah, will it also be the playground of the Mafia and the resort assignment

for the CIA - again, plus the drug union station?

[roody]

13. Can't wait to eat at McDonalds and Pizza hut

in Havana. If you want to see it still beautiful, go NOW!

[tritsofme]

2. We have yet to see whether or not these "promises" are empty

or not.

[LoZoccolo]

3. Why would he have to commit to allowing freedom of expression?

I thought he was such a nice guy so it didn't matter of Hugo Chavez hangs out with him??!!

_{NOTE: This post is sarcastic.}

[wake.up.america]

4. Ojala.

[Mythsaje]

6. Castro's influence is waning.

More moderate voices are starting to gain ascendency.

[progressive_realist]

7. Well, that will put Cuba one step ahead of us

As it happens, the U.S. Senate has never ratified the protocol on economic, social, and cultural issues, and signed the protocol on civil and political rights only with a whole constellation of what are the equivalent of "signing statements" that negate the enforceability of any of its provisions domestically.

Once again the pot rails on about the kettle. :boring:

But don't let me interrupt any Castro bashing...

[BornagainDUer]

17. hee, hee. Very good post. Welcome to DU.

:hi:

[Selatius]

8. Cuba should transition to a mixed economy that promotes worker cooperatives.

Turn over state-run enterprises to the control of workers. Glasnost is a good thing as well. You can't report truthful economic numbers in an atmosphere of fear.

[HughMoran]

9. Sounds like a positive step forward

Fidel hasn't got much to lose - he's gonna die soon anyway.

[Cha]

10. Well, this is good news!

Now what will the repukes in Miami have to bitch about?

[MADem]

11. And they were dancing (ironically) in the streets...??????

But as he spoke, just a few streets from the foreign ministry a small group of opposition activists were mobbed and shouted down by government supporters, as they tried to hold a march.

Dissidents reported that police also picked up several key march organisers in the hours before the event, apparently in an attempt to prevent it taking place.

The treatment of the protesters, the BBC's Michael Voss reports from Havana, was a reminder that old approaches continue.

[Phil Ochs]

14. Maybe

I'll believe it when I see it.

[spanone]

16. how's fred thompson gonna kill castro if he's a good guy?????? damn