Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03OTTAWA897
2003-03-27 17:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ottawa
Cable title:  

CANADIAN AMBASSADOR TO RAISE OPPOSITION ARRESTS IN

Tags:  PHUM PREL CU CA UNHCR 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000897 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2013
TAGS: PHUM PREL CU CA UNHCR
SUBJECT: CANADIAN AMBASSADOR TO RAISE OPPOSITION ARRESTS IN
HAVANA

REF: A. STATE 75175 B. STATE 10182 C. 02 STATE 185884

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Brian Flora for reasons 1.5
(b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000897

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2013
TAGS: PHUM PREL CU CA UNHCR
SUBJECT: CANADIAN AMBASSADOR TO RAISE OPPOSITION ARRESTS IN
HAVANA

REF: A. STATE 75175 B. STATE 10182 C. 02 STATE 185884

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Brian Flora for reasons 1.5
(b) and (d).


1. (C) Post delivered ref A talking points to Kimberly Cowan,
Cuba desk officer in DFAIT's Latin America and Caribbean
Bureau, on March 24. In a follow-up discussion March 27,
Cowan advised poloff that Canada is responding as follows to
the arrests of the opposition members. First, Canada has
expressed serious concerns about the arrests to
representatives of Cuba's mission in Ottawa. Second, Canada's
ambassador in Havana will go to the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs on March 27 and will voice Canada's concerns over the
arrests in meetings there. Finally, Canada will express
concern about this series of arrests in its country situation
statement at CHR-59 in Geneva.


2. (C) Cowan told poloff that Canada's embassy in Havana is
closely monitoring the situation, and is seeking to draw out
the nature of the charges and to gain a better understanding
of why the arrests took place at what would appear to be a
particularly sensitive time (during the CHR session in
Geneva). (Note: Cowan (protect source) told poloff that one
of their embassy's contacts in the Cuban government refers to
the arrested persons as "mercenaries" employed by the U.S.
government. End note.) Cowan said that Canada would not make
a public statement at this time calling for the release of
the opposition members. She indicated that Canada is telling
the Cuban government privately it considers the arrests a
"precipitous and excessive" action.
CELLUCCI