Brdo, Slovenia - The European Union and the United States on Tuesday urged Cuba's new government to free "all political prisoners" to show it is serious about improving human rights. US President George W Bush sharpened that challenge to new Cuban President Raul Castro in remarks after an EU-US summit in Slovenia, saying improved ties depended on a prisoner release.
"Before relations should go forward, all political prisoners ought to be freed," Bush told a news conference. "If the Castro administration really is different, the first way to show that difference to the world is to free the political prisoners."
Days after Castro took office as the island's new communist leader, Cuba in February signed two international human rights pacts that Fidel Castro opposed, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
In a joint statement after the EU-US summit, both sides welcomed Cuba's signing of the treaty and urged the Castro government to ratify the covenant "and demonstrate its commitment by unconditionally releasing all political prisoners."
