Cuba has signed two human-rights treaties that were first ratified by the UN more than 40 years ago and which Fidel Castro, the country's long-time president, refused to sign. Thursday's move by the communist government comes just days after Castro's younger brother Raul was confirmed as his successor as president. Fidel, suffering from ill health, said he would not return as president after nearly 50 years in power. For decades, the Caribbean nation had refused to sign the two covenants adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1966, saying to do so would be to cede to pressure from the US. ... The Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantees "civil and political freedom" including the right to self-determination and peaceful assembly, to freedom of religion and freedom to leave the country, and to equal protection before the law. .... In Havana, a European diplomat called the signing "a first step in the right direction" by the new government and hoped it would be followed up by the freeing of jailed dissidents.

Originally Posted by Joby Al Jazeera English - News - Cuba Signs Human Rights Accords This is a good move by the new regime. Hopefully, it'll make it easier for the next President to make the phone call...

I welcome this move. However, it is just a beginning and much more remains to be done. Bearing in mind the number of Arab States and African nations who are signatories of a number of human rights instruments and their actual human rights practices, much greater emphasis needs to be placed on performance.

Hopefully, the coming weeks will witness Cuba's enacting legislation to create a domestic legal environment that is consistent with the provisions of those accords and its beginning to implement practices toward that end. If so, one would have evidence that Cuba is, in fact, beginning to turn the proverbial corner on human rights.

In the meantime, the U.S. should offer to help Cuba with such steps. At worst, Cuba would refuse such assistance and the bilateral relationship would remain unchanged. However, there would be a chance that Cuba would accept. If so, such cooperation could--if Cuba is serious about bringing its policies and practices into conformity with the human rights instruments to which it committed itself--open the door to an improved bilateral relationship with the United States on a wider range of matters.

There is an opportunity for Cuba to improve the wellbeing of its people. There is also an opportunity for the United States to help Cuba in that process and begin laying the foundation for normalized relations and broader cooperation. Hopefully, those opportunities will be seized. Both sides would gain from such an outcome.

Originally Posted by Joby I agree, it's just that it's going to take a lot of baby-steps and some great diplomatic skills. A skill America's been lacking for the last 7 years or so....

Joby,

Just to be clear, I believe Cuba will need to translate its words into concrete performance if it is to have normalized relations with the United States. Hence, my thinking that the U.S. should offer assistance to help Cuba carry out the human rights obligations to which it committed itself. Hopefully, Cuba will move in the direction of performance.

As for the U.S. diplomatic capacity, the erosion of America's soft power component has been a growing concern in recent years, particularly among foreign policy professionals. A strengthened foreign service, appointment of ambassadors who have foreign policy experience and relationships in the countries in which they serve, and a robust international assistance budget will all be necessary to strengthen the nation's diplomatic capabilities.

Originally Posted by WI Crippler I forget, did we do a whole lot of diplomacy with Cuba in the 90s?

Originally Posted by donsutherland1 [left]Joby, Just to be clear, I believe Cuba will need to translate its words into concrete performance if it is to have normalized relations with the United States. Hence, my thinking that the U.S. should offer assistance to help Cuba carry out the human rights obligations to which it committed itself. Hopefully, Cuba will move in the direction of performance.

As for the U.S. diplomatic capacity, the erosion of America's soft power component has been a growing concern in recent years, particularly among foreign policy professionals. A strengthened foreign service, appointment of ambassadors who have foreign policy experience and relationships in the countries in which they serve, and a robust international assistance budget will all be necessary to strengthen the nation's diplomatic capabilities