U.N. Keeps Pressure on Cuba Over Human Rights

<a href=reuters.com>Reuters, Thu April 17, 2003 11:55 AM ET GENEVA (Reuters) - The United Nations top human rights body kept up the pressure on Cuba over its record on Thursday by urging the Communist state to accept a visit by a U.N. envoy to probe alleged abuses.

The resolution, presented by four Latin American countries, was approved by the Geneva-based Commission on Human Rights by 24 votes to 20, with nine abstentions.

But the decision came only after an amendment brought by Costa Rica to condemn the recent sentencing of dozens of dissidents to heavy jail terms and another draft presented by Cuba attacking a U.S. economic embargo were defeated.

The Caribbean Marxist state, which sees the vote as interference in its domestic affairs, lashed out at the four Latin American states -- Peru, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Uruguay -- calling them "disgusting lackeys" who had bowed to "shameful" pressure from the United States.

Seven of the 11 Latin American countries on the commission voted in the favor of the call, including Mexico and Paraguay. Argentina and Brazil abstained, while Venezuela and Cuba voted against.

Cuba, which has been ruled by Marxist President Fidel Castro since 1959, remains a politically-sensitive issue throughout much of Latin America and none of its representatives on the commission backed the toughly-worded Costa Rican motion.

The resolution approved by the 53-state body urged Cuba to respect a 2002 commission decision to send a special envoy to monitor its progress in respecting human rights.

Cuba has so far refused to allow the envoy, French magistrate Christine Chanet, to make a visit, saying that the U.N. should focus instead on the U.S. Guantanamo naval base which is used to hold suspected terrorists.