U.S. loses vote to appoint rights monitor on Cuba

             By JUAN O. TAMAYO
             Herald Staff Writer

             In a startling defeat for U.S. policy on Cuba, the U.N. Human Rights Commission
             in Geneva on Tuesday rejected a U.S. proposal to continue monitoring reported
             abuses on the island. It was the first time since 1991 that the American initiative
             failed.

             Gleeful Cuban officials credited Pope John Paul II's visit in January with helping to
             swing the vote against Washington, and a human rights activist in Havana said the
             turnabout might even help ``depoliticize'' the issue.

             But President Clinton's foremost Cuban-American supporter angrily attacked the
             Clinton administration, saying its envoys in Geneva were either careless or lost the
             vote on purpose.

             ``Something happened,'' complained Rep. Bob Menendez, D-N.J. ``Either they
             lowered their guard -- that's the good possibility -- or they purposely did not
             pursue a rigorous advocacy on behalf of the resolution.''

             The U.S. proposal failed 16-19, with 18 abstentions among the 53 members of
             the body. The proposal called for again putting Cuba under the scrutiny of a
             United Nations special rapporteur, a measure usually reserved for countries like
             Iraq, with a reputation for brutal human rights abuses.

             The vote was the latest in a string of international rebuffs of Washington's policy of
             isolating Havana.

             Also Tuesday, the Dominican Republic reestablished full diplomatic relations with
             Havana after 40 years, and Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien confirmed he
             will visit Cuba next week.

             Washington's top envoy in Geneva, Nancy Rubin, declined to comment after
             Tuesday's vote. But White House spokesman Mike McCurry said U.S. officials
             would not halt their campaign of criticizing Cuba's human rights record.

             ``We're obviously disappointed with the outcome . . . but we are going to continue
             our efforts to draw attention to . . . the denial of fundamental freedoms and basic
             human rights to the citizens of Cuba,'' he said.

             State Department spokesman James Rubin called it ``unconscionable'' that the
             vote ends U.N. monitoring of the human rights situation in Cuba.

             ``The people of Cuba continue to live under one of the most repressive regimes in
             the world,'' Rubin said.

             U.S. officials involved in preparing for the Geneva session -- who last week
             confidently predicted another win in the annual U.S. campaign to condemn Cuba
             -- appeared almost speechless after the vote.

             ``Castro's openings to the church for the papal visit apparently created the
             impression among many nations that things have begun to change in Cuba,'' one
             said. ``We tried to argue that it was not so, but we lost.''

             U.S. officials have pushed similar drafts through the commission's spring meetings
             in Geneva since 1991. Last year's draft passed 19-10, with 24 abstentions.

             This year, most of the commission's Western members again supported
             Washington, including Canada and France, which disagree with U.S. policy
             toward Cuba. But Russia, Pakistan and several African nations switched from
             voting yes or abstaining last year to voting no.

             ``This is the victory of reason . . . a victory over inflexibility and lack of tolerance,''
             Cuban delegate Alfonso Martinez said, reflecting Cuba's argument that while its
             human rights record is not perfect, it certainly does not merit the attention of a
             special rapporteur.

             Cuba is now getting the fair treatment it deserves before the commission, Cuban
             Ambassador Carlos Amat said, because ``a series of signals'' like John Paul's visit
             in January have shown that Havana is trying to open up its system.

             Swedish diplomat Carl-Johan Groth served as the special rapporteur on Cuba
             each year since 1991, although Cuba never allowed him on the island to
             investigate human rights.

             In Havana, human rights activist Elizardo Sanchez said he had mixed feelings about
             the U.N. decision because there has been no change ``in Cuba's basic model of
             government, which essentially violates human rights.''

             ``This will not affect at all my concern and profound disagreement with the
             unfavorable human rights situation here,'' he said in a telephone interview.

             But it might prove ``positive,'' Sanchez added, ``to depoliticize the theme of the
             human rights situation in Cuba in which the U.S. government and its allies attack,
             and Cuba defends and justifies.''

             ``Hopefully, from now on the issue will be kept within its true context -- that in
             which it is required of the Cuban people and the Cuban government to improve
             the situation,'' he said.

             But the U.N. vote got only scorn from Menendez and Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, a
             Miami Republican who attacked ``the neo-fascist Cuban tyranny.''

             ``My staff advises me that in discussions [with State Department officials] they said
             they had the votes for our resolution,'' Menendez said. ``But I cannot believe the
             administration used the effort and the muscle needed to accomplish passage.

             ``What is more incredible is that President Clinton, who was wining and dining
             with the leaders of Latin America just last week in Chile, could not seem to get
             them to put their words into action'' in the commission vote, he added.

             Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela all
             abstained. Two Latin American nations, Argentina and El Salvador, voted with the
             United States.

             Diaz-Balart said the U.N. commission vote on Cuba ``will be remembered as . . .
             an act of infamy and cowardice'' -- and complained about ``the farce of the
             Clinton administration's alleged attempt to win the vote.''

             In a rare victory of sorts for Washington policy on Cuba, the European Union on
             Tuesday officially abandoned its challenge of the Helms-Burton Law before the
             World Trade Organization.

             But the EU could revive the case any time and renew the battle over a U.S. law
             that Europeans regard as illegally affecting their business dealings with Cuba.

                               HOW THEY VOTED

             How the 53 member states of the United Nations Human Rights Commission
             voted on a U.S.-proposed resolution to appoint a special monitor for Cuba:

             In favor:

             Argentina, Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, France,
             Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Poland, South Korea, United
             Kingdom, United States.

             Opposed:

             Belarus, Bhutan, Cape Verde, China, Congo, Cuba, Democratic Republic of
             Congo, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mali, Mozambique, Pakistan, Russia,
             Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda.

             Abstaining:

             Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Madagascar, Mexico,
             Morocco, Nepal, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Ukraine,
             Uruguay, Venezuela.