20/02/2008 President
Lluís Maria de Puig, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), has said that Fidel Castro’s retirement from politics in opened a window of hope, which might mark the beginning of a new era of peaceful transition to democracy and respect for human rights.
According to Lluís Maria de Puig, should take advantage of this change to start reforms which would bring the country closer to international standards, including those of the Council of Europe, and in particular where political pluralism was concerned. The future of must be determined by the freely expressed wishes of its people, he said.
The PACE President also urged to abolish the death penalty and called for the unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience.