ITALIAN MFA ON CUBAN HUMAN RIGHTS UPDATE AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000241 SIPDIS FOR CA/OCS/CI MICHELLE BERNIER-TOTH, WHA/CCA, AND EUR/WE E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/15/2008 TAGS: PHUM PREL CU IT CACS HUMAN RIGHTS SUBJECT: ITALIAN MFA ON CUBAN HUMAN RIGHTS UPDATE AND CUSTODY CASE REF: A. SECSTATE 10182 ¶B. SECSTATE 4197 CLASSIFIED BY: POLMINCOUNS T. COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ROME 00241 211244Z ¶1. (U) THIS CABLE CONTAINS AN ACTION REQUEST (PARA 4). ¶2. (C) POLOFF DELIVERED REF A AND B MESSAGES JANUARY 16 TO MFA OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN NICOLO' GORETTI DE FLAMINI. IN RESPONSE TO REF A, THE ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS UPDATE, GORETTI REPLIED, "DON'T QUOTE ME, BUT YOU KNOW VERY WELL THAT WE WILL VOTE FOR THE (UNHRC) RESOLUTION THE UNITED STATES WILL ADVOCATE." HE ALSO ASKED WHETHER LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES WOULD AGAIN TAKE THE LEAD AND EXPLAINED THAT THE U.S. WOULD HAVE ITALY'S SUPPORT BECAUSE "WE SHARE YOUR WORRIES. THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IS NOT VERY SATISFACTORY." HE ADDED THAT THE EUROPEAN UNION WAS VERY PLEASED THAT PAYA HAD BEEN ABLE TO COME TO EUROPE AFTER AZNAR SUCCESSFULLY OBTAINED AN EXIT AND REENTRY PERMIT FOR HIM. GORETTI OPINED THAT CASTRO HAD GIVEN THE EXIT PERMIT IN AN ATTEMPT TO PROVE THAT CUBAN CITIZENS WERE FREE TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY. ¶3. (SBU) GORETTI LISTENED CAREFULLY TO REF B POINTS, WHICH EXPLAINED THAT THE CASH SALES MADE AT THE U.S. FOOD AND AGRIBUSINESS EXHIBITION IN HAVANA LAST SEPTEMBER WERE NOT ILLEGAL AND THAT THERE WAS NO STARVATION IN CUBA. HE SAID CUBAN BUYERS HAD BEEN TELLING THEIR ITALIAN SUPPLIERS THEY WERE OUT OF FUNDS BECAUSE THEY HAD HAD TO PAY THE AMERICANS CASH AT THE EXHIBITION. ¶4. (SBU) GORETTI APPRECIATED THE UPDATE, NOTING THAT IF HIS BOSS, DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR THE AMERICAS ORTONA, ACCOMPANIED FONMIN FRATTINI ON HIS VISIT TO WASHINGTON NEXT WEEK, GORETTI WOULD NEED TO BRIEF HIM ON CUBA. HE ALSO ASKED CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ROME 00241 211244Z ABOUT THE CUSTODY CASE OF THE CUBAN FATHER WHO CLAIMS THAT HIS CHILDREN'S CUBAN MOTHER DID NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO TAKE THE CHILDREN TO THE UNITED STATES. ACTION REQUEST: PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CASE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. END REQUEST. SEMBLER CONFIDENTIAL > 2003ROME00241 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL