CANADA-CUBA: FOREIGN MINISTER STRONGLY PROTESTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 001018

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2013
TAGS: PREL PHUM CU CA UNCHR
SUBJECT: CANADA-CUBA: FOREIGN MINISTER STRONGLY PROTESTS
TRIALS OF CUBAN OPPOSITION MEMBERS

REF: A. OTTAWA 00964 B. STATE 86002 C. OTTAWA 00897


D. STATE 75175

Classified By: Pol MC Brian Flora for reasons 1.5(b) and (d)


1. (C) On April 7, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Bill
Graham called in Cuba's ambassador to Canada to formally
protest the recent arrests and trials of Cuban opposition
members. According to Louise Branch, DFAIT's Deputy Director
for Central America and Cuba, who was present at the meeting,
Minister Graham told Ambassador Fernandez de Cossio Dominguez
that the prison sentences imposed on opposition members were
beyond comprehension, and that the government of Cuba was
making a colossal error. Minister Graham also gave the
ambassador a letter for Cuban Minister of Foreign Relations
Felipe Roque in which Graham expressed Canada's extreme
concern about the curtailment of human rights and freedom of
expression in Cuba.


2. (C) Branch told poloff on April 8th that Canada's
ambassador in Havana had made an official request to the
government of Cuba, before the trials began, for a list of
those arrested, the charges against them, and the rationale
behind the charges. The Canadian ambassador also asked that
a Canadian embassy representative be allowed to attend the
trials. The Cuban government refused these requests on the
basis that the persons on trial were not Canadian citizens,
and further explained that no diplomatic representatives
would be allowed to attend the trials. In his letter to the
Cuban foreign minister, Minister Graham expressed profound
disappointment in this decision by the Cuban government.


3. (C) Branch said that Ambassador Dominguez defended his
government's actions during the meeting, asserting that
opposition members were not arrested for exercising their
freedom of expression, but because they were
counter-revolutionaries working with the U.S. The ambassador
referred to the arrests and trials as a national security
matter for Cuba. Minister Graham specifically mentioned a
prison sentence of 25 years imposed on one of the opposition
members, saying this was more in line with a sentence for
murder. According to Branch, the Cuban ambassador responded
that, no, 30 years was the usual sentence imposed for murder
in Cuba. Branch said that Ambassador Dominguez complained
about Principal Officer Cason during the meeting, stating
that Cason is openly encouraging dissent but Cuba can't expel
him because it would mean the loss of the migratory agreement.


4. (C) With reference to the Cuba resolution in the U.N.
Human Rights Commission (which Canada intends to co-sponsor),
Branch confirmed that Canada's delegation wants tougher
language, and wants the arrests mentioned specifically. She
further indicated that Canada has begun promoting the idea of
a stronger resolution with other UNCHR delegations,
particularly the Latin American delegations.


KELLY