BAHAMIAN DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVES TO CUBA AND CHINA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NASSAU 002124

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2013
TAGS: PREL PINR PGOV BF CU UK
SUBJECT: BAHAMIAN DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVES TO CUBA AND CHINA

Classified By: CHARGE R.M. WITAJEWSKI, FOR REASONS 1.5 B AND D

SUMMARY


1. (C) Bahamian Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell is pursuing
a new activist foreign policy focused around overtures to both Cuba
and the People's Republic of China. Both Havana and Beijing should
be pleased. Reportedly, The Bahamas will send a resident consul
general to Havana and, in addition to moving the current Bahamian
consulate from Hong Kong to Beijing, will permit the Chinese government
to begin construction on a new embassy complex in Nassau.
End Summary.


CHINESE TO BUILD NEW EMBASSY COMPLEX IN NASSAU


2. (C) Asked about his recent trip to China during a
private lunch with Charge on October 20, Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell
revealed that the Chinese will soon be granted permission to begin
construction of a new embassy complex to be located on prime
north-facing ocean-front property east of downtown Nassau. (The
proposed site is located on currently vacant land near the intersection
of East Bay Street and Village Road.) The approval in principle follow
agreement that the PRC will send only "supervisors" to oversee the
construction effort, rather than actual "workers." Approval has been
delayed for years over the issue of the composition of the construction
work force, as well as questions about the size and architectural
dominance of the proposed Chinese design.


3. (SBU) FM Mitchell did not indicate when the public announcement
would be made about the construction go-ahead.


4. (C) Asked again about his recent extensive trip to
China, as he has since his return FM Mitchell remained closemouthed and
uncommunicative. He wondered -- again -- why we were interested in hi
and his cabinet colleagues' trip. Refusing to be drawn out, all he
would say about his trip was that he found "the Chinese to be incredibl
industrious" and Beijing to be "gray and drab." When Charge rhetoricall
wondered about the growing Chinese interest in The Bahamas, FM Mitchell
replied laconically "economic." Charge looked a bit incredulous, notin
that some 85 percent of all Bahamian purchases were made in south
Florida and, in any event, the entire country's 340,000 people did not
represent much of a market to the Chinese. FM Mitchell said that "the
Chinese consider the billion dollar Hutcheson-Wampoa container port
facility in Freeport as 'their's". "


5. (C ) Responding to Charge_ observation that at least the
Chinese embassy would not have the security setback problems facing
the U.S. Embassy, Mitchell joked that if the United States said that
it too would build a new embassy, the Government would sell back at cos
the 11 acre parcel long intended as the site of a new US Embassy
compound that the USG sold to the Bahamian government several years ago

WILL THE PRIME MINISTER TRAVEL TO PRC TOO?


6. (C) The British High Commissioner to The Bahamas believes
that Prime Minister Perry Christie will still be making a trip to China
in November. He called Charge October 21 to report that he found it
strange that the trip had still not been announced. While Christie_
plans, if any, remain secretive, other senior members of the Bahamian
government have been extensive travelers to China of late. In addition
to FM Mitchell and Aviation Minister Hanna-Martin, Bahamas Agricultural
and Industrial Corporation executive chairman (and reputed political
bagman) Sidney Stubbs has also just led a delegation to China,
presumably seeking expanded trade ties.
Rumors of corruption and bribery continue to circle around Stubbs in
Bahamian political circles. One local newspaper has publicly raised
questions about the financing of this $48,667.85 junket.


BAHAMAS TO UPGRADE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH CUBA


7. (C) Well-informed sources indicate that the Bahamian
Government has come to an agreement with the Castro regime to establish
a resident Bahamian diplomatic presence in Havana. Reportedly, the
Bahamians will send a diplomat with the rank of Consul General to
Havana in the 2004-05 fiscal year when funding becomes available. Whil
The Cubans are represented in Nassau at the rank of Consul by Felix
Wilson (formerly assigned to the Cuban Interests Section in Washington)
up to now, the Bahamians have not had a resident presence in Havana.


8. (SBU) Wilson held a press conference October 16
denouncing the latest U.S. restrictions on travel to Cuba and announcin
the annual Cuban attempt to have the bilateral trade embargo condemned
at the UNGA. FM Mitchell appears to have beenembarrassed by the
publicity, chiding Wilson saying that the Bahamas has traditionally
voted to lift the embargo at the UNGA, would do so again this
year and didn_ need to be reminded of this.

COMMENT


9. (C) The openings to Beijing and Havana -- which will
entail considerable personnel expense for the Bahamians even if China
and Cuba subsidize the actual operations of the Bahamian diplomatic
missions in their countries -- come at a time of considerable budget
constraint in The Bahamas. The government that is delaying salary
increases and promotions for civil servants, and cutting back on public
works projects, apparently has decided that upgrading relations with
Cuba and China are worth the expense. Certain members of the Christie
government support FM Mitchell's initiative out of either ideological
sympathy, or pure balance of power political reasons. Mitchell is doing
this for both reasons.

WITAJEWSKI