By JUAN O. TAMAYO
Herald Staff Writer
A Clinton administration campaign to persuade Europe to join a ``choir for democracy'' in Cuba has begun to gather some support -- but only in exchange for Washington backing off the most criticized provision of the Helms-Burton law.
The latest sign of European backing came Thursday when Sir Leon Brittan, the European Union's chief political operative, said the EU is willing to join Washington in pressing for human rights in Cuba.
``We believe strongly that Europe and the United States should work together as soon as possible to nurture democracy, freedom and human rights'' in Cuba, Brittan said in a speech in New York to the European-American Chamber of Commerce. ``Now is the time for Europe and the United States to begin searching for common ground.''
``We consider this a very constructive statement, and an important beginning in illuminating the European Union's own independent position favoring democracy in Cuba,'' President Clinton's special envoy, Stuart Eizenstat, said Thursday. ``This is the kind of positive step upon which future progress can be made to expedite the transition to democracy in Cuba.''
U.S. diplomats in Europe and some Europeans remained deeply skeptical that Europe is ready to put significant pressure on Cuba, however.
``Are the Europeans really willing to press Cuba toward democracy? I don't see it,'' said one U.S. diplomat in Europe.
Brittan's speech was the first official EU reply to a veiled offer Clinton made in July, when he signed a six-month delay in a Helms-Burton provision that sanctions foreign firms ``trafficking'' in property seized by Cuba from U.S. citizens without compensation.
Notch up your pressures on Cuba to move toward democracy, and Washington will somehow blunt or postpone the Helms-Burton provision, was the message Clinton asked Eizenstat to deliver to Europe, Canada, Mexico and the rest of Latin America.
Most European governments reacted coolly to the offer, some seeing it as yet another U.S. attempt to saddle others with its ineffective policies on Cuba and others saying they are already doing enough to develop democracy in Cuba.
``This may be interesting. Any measure that can help human rights in Cuba would be good. But the Americans cannot impose this. We cannot accept it,'' said Spain's chief Foreign Ministry spokesman, Inocencio Arias.
Germany's approach is similar.
``You can be sure our ambassador in Havana already raises the human rights issue, when it's needed,'' a German official said. ``We already monitor our investments in Cuba, and our [aid] programs are already people-aimed, not for the government. There's nothing new here for us.''
The Clinton proposals delivered by Eizenstat are a version of the so-called Sullivan Principles that were applied to apartheid-ruled South Africa to ensure that foreign investments benefited the black majority and not the white government.
Among the ``correct business'' guidelines for foreign investors: Respect human rights and denounce abuses, press for internationally recognized labor rights and reject any business with predominantly political agencies.
``The president's offer is not blackmail but rather an opportunity of great moral and political value . . . which Europeans should have an interest in not missing,'' Eizenstat told Italian Radio last month.
Foreign Trade Minister Augusto Fantozzi all but approved the Clinton plan, presenting it at a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Luxembourg Oct. 28 as an Italian proposal and leaking parts to Italian journalists.
``Washington is trying to shift from a unilateral approach [to Cuba], which was often criticized by its European allies, to a multilateral approach aimed at fostering a peaceful transition to democracy,'' said L'Unita, the former Italian Communist Party newspaper.
Italy's ADN-Kronos news agency reported that Europe remained adamant in rejecting Helms-Burton but added that Eizenstat was asking European Union nations to ``individually join a choir for democracy'' in Cuba.
``Europe has always believed in constructive engagement with Cuba, staying in touch on issues such as human rights and investment to gently guide the Cubans in the right direction. The Americans want specific, aggressive goals,'' the official said.