Just a week before the EU-Russia summit on 26 October in Mafra, Portugal, national parties from across the EU that are part of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR) agreed on a resolution calling on European Union member states “to develop a common strategy for partnership with Russia and the Russian people based on the common values of justice freedom and democracy”. “This strategy should be the foundation for a more unequivocal and by that more powerful European voice towards the undemocratic developments in Russia,” says the ELDR. The resolution was put forward by the Liberal Democrats, an ELDR member party from the UK, and passed during the ELDR’s annual congress in Berlin, from 18 to 19 October. The resolution “supports member party Yabloko and all citizens of Russia who desire to live in democratic, free, and open society”. The ELDR resolution expresses concern that the present political trends in Russia are contrary to the principles of democracy, human rights and rule of law and that these trends could result in a situation where the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections in Russia will not be considered as free and fair. The ELDR adds that this “might lead to the serious and undesirable consequences to EU-Russia relations”. The ELDR goes on to say that the Putin government is seeking to “‘manage’ democracy by imposing high minimum thresholds for parties to participate in national and provincial legislatures; by banning parties from participation in elections for spurious reasons with the assistance of a flawed Electoral Commission; by banning or breaking up free demonstrations; harassing NGOs who seek to promote democracy”. “Press freedom is curtailed, several journalists have been murdered, all TV stations have passed to the control of the State or State-controlled organisations, and opposition politicians have limited access to the media, even at election times,” says the ELDR.The ELDR resolution encourages the negotiation of a long-term agreement with Russia establishing trade and development links between Russia and the European Union, including in the area of environmental co-operation but adds that any such agreements must be “subject to Russia becoming a full multi-party democracy, operating a free market economy and respecting the rule of domestic and international law”.“European Union member states need to stand as one and strongly encourage Russia to accelerate its development towards a real democracy in the best interests of both Russia and the EU. The EU-Russia summit is a good opportunity for EU leaders to make that clear to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin,” said ELDR Party President Annemie Neyts.For more information, contact Julian Hale on 00 32 (0)2 237 0143 or communication@eldr.eu Read more ...

Resolution:  Cuba: call for a peacful regime change
The Congress of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party in Berlin on 18-19 October 2007,
-          having regard to the concerns and distress expressed by ELDR for several years about a lack of democracy in Cuba under the communist regime;
-          having regard to the resolution of the Liberal International on Cuba adopted in Marrakesh in November 2006;
-          having regard to the recent visit of three members of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly in Cuba, organised by Mr Matyas Eorsi, leader of the ALDE Group in PACE;
-          whereas the situation for human rights in Cuba has deteriorated since the last Congress of ELDR;
-          whereas according to the Cuban Commissioner for Human Rights and National Reconciliation an additional 47 dissidents have been sent to prison between July 2005 and July 2006;
-          takes note with satisfaction of the recent release of Francisco Chaviano Gonzales and Lazaro Gonzalez Adan, two of the most important non-violent dissidents, by Cuban authorities, though 244 political prisoners still remain in Cuban prisons;
-          whereas the Cuban authorities have aggravated the harassment of non-violent members of the opposition, especially through the so-called Acts of Repudiation that are being organised regularly outside their homes, and which include the use of physical violence;
-          whereas prominent Cuban Liberals such as Héctor Maseda Gutiérrez, president of Partido Liberal de Cuba, and Adolfo Fernández Sainz, secretary of international relations, of Partido Solidaridad Democrática, are still in prison since the spring of 2003;
-          whereas Cuba is a Member of the United Nation Human Rights Council;

1. Is convinced that political changes in Cuba will come given the wish of the Cuban people to fight for the democratisation of the country;
2. welcomes the agreement recently reached by Cuban opposition's groups under the document "Unitad por la Libertad";
3. Trusts that liberal forces in Cuba will take a leading role in this very hard but challenging and rewarding process;
4. Condemns the systematic crackdown by the Cuban regime on individual freedom, in particular against dissidents, journalists, cyber activists, independent trade unionists and human rights defenders;
5. urges the Cuban authorities immediately to allow the Damas de Blanco, a group including relatives of the 74 dissidents arrested in 2004, to leave the island so that they can accept the invitation of the European Parliament to receive the Sakharov Prize;
6. Considers that the free world should be prepared to assist with the democratisation process as much as possible for the sake of the political change;
7. Believes that all democratic countries with the strong involvement of the European Union, in alliance with the Americas, should provide support to assist with Cuban democratisation not only to make it swift and successful but also as painless as possible for Cuban citizens;
8. Urges the European Union to review and renew its policy towards Cuba, engaging in a direct dialogue with home-grown non-violent Cuban individuals, opposition movements and parties;
9. Calls on the European Union to anchor its policy towards Cuba to the Cuban democratic opposition and civic movements inside and outside the island, offering it more legitimacy for its democratising efforts;
10. Is aware of the enormous challenges in building a market economy, restoring human rights, civil liberties, freedom of speech, multi-party democracy, and checks and balances in power, including an independent judiciary: these being the core values of democracy, which Cubans have been deprived of for decades;
11. Proposes that the experiences of the transition in Central and Eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall be examined and adapted to work for Cuban democratisation;
12. Calls on the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, of which Cuba to draw attention to the abuses of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba, and reconsider the appropriateness of Cuba being a member of such an honourable institution;
13. Urges its member Parties to actively support the struggle for freedom of every Cuban and in particular of Liberal activists and to establish regular contacts with Cuban Liberal Parties in order to facilitate their activities both in the island and abroad.

 . Following the agreement by EU member states to a new EU treaty in the early hours of 19 October, the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party’s President Annemie Neyts called for the text to be “pushed through ratification as soon as possible so that it can be ready for the European Parliament elections in 2009”.In closing remarks to ELDR national member parties on the final day of the ELDR’s annual congress, Neyts, who was re-elected on a further two year mandate, said that the ELDR would do its best to “unite our member parties behind a number of common themes that we can agree on”. She added that the ELDR could assemble “a gallery of major political figures” for the European elections in 2009. Earlier, a resolution had been passed whereby the ELDR agreed that it should put forward a common candidate for the presidency of the European Commission in 2009.  Read more ...

The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party has opened its 28th annual congress, running from 18 to 19 October. The event is taking place in Berlin and is being hosted by ELDR member party Freie Demokratische Partei (FDP).On the same day as the EU summit of heads of state and government in Lisbon, ELDR President Annemie Neyts said that she hoped “the draft [EU] treaty would be finally approved so that we can then concentrate on ratification before the next European Parliament elections in June 2009”. Denmark’s Prime Minister Anders Fogh-Rasmussen called for the EU to play a leading role in the promotion of free trade. “We should liberalise the Common Agricultural Policy by abolishing all the subsidies so that farmers can compete on equal terms, we should liberalise world markets to give developing countries free access to world markets and we should create a transatlantic marketplace to act as a counterweight to the emerging economies in Asia,” said Rasmussen. He also said that, “through the UN, we must combat any resolution attempting to limit freedom of speech” and pointed out that it was important to allow criticism of any religion. He expressed regret that Muslim countries had recently managed to have a UN resolution adopted aimed at limiting free speech and protecting religion.The leader of the congress’s host party, from the FDP, Guido Westerwelle, said that “globalisation needs answers in terms of free trade” but that “it does not just mean economic globalisation but globalisation of values, human rights and common ideas. Those that talk of globalisation in economic terms forget that globalisation of ideas was what brought Germany together as one country”. Italy’s EU Affairs Minister Emma Bonino backed Rasmussen’s remarks about trade, the CAP and the importance of free speech and added that the final steps were being made towards a moratorium on the death penalty being agreed at the UN. “This is a worthwhile fight where liberals are in the front row in their calls to stop state killing,” she said.EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said that enlargement was a “very important liberal project” which needed to be managed in a gradual and careful way. He said that it was “no high speed train but that it was important it stayed on track”, referring to the ongoing discussions with regard to the western Balkans and Turkey. In an opening address to the congress, the EU commissioner leading the fight against fraud, Siim Kallas, referred to his efforts to create a code of conduct and register for lobbyists by 2008 and said that a commitment by EU member states to publish information on the beneficiaries of EU funds would be “operational in 2009”. He was happy that 13 countries had already opted for this approach. He also called for more cooperation between the Commission and member states in the fight against fraud.The key themes that the congress will be debating over the next two days are Europe as a global partner, climate change and Europe’s role in promoting democracy in the world. For more information and to request interviews with the participants, please contact Julian Hale on 00 32 473 690749 or email to communication@eldr.euA video report of the congress opening can be viewed by clicking here Read more ...