UNCLAS ROME 003516

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM IT CU HUMAN RIGHTS
SUBJECT: CUBAN CHARGE RESPONDS TO ITALIAN DEMARCHE: "NOBODY
HAS DIED IN CUBA'S JAILS FROM MALTREATMENT"

REF: BASS/WHITAKER EMAILS 7/29-30


1. (SBU) FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IN REF EMAILS, ON JULY 30
EMBASSY ROME PASSED THE DEPARTMENT'S STATEMENT ON IMPRISONED
CUBAN DISSIDENT MARTA BEATRICE ROQUE'S HEALTH TO MFA
UNDERSECRETARY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS BONIVER'S OFFICE AND TO MFA
OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR CENTRAL AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN AFFAIRS
NICCOLO GORETTI. ON FRIDAY AUGUST 1 THE ITALIAN MFA CONVOKED
THE CUBAN CHARGE IN ROME, HUGO RAMOS. THE ITALIANS CONVEYED
THEIR CONCERNS REGARDING THE DETERIORATING HEALTH OF MS.
ROQUE AND MR. OSCAR ESPINOSA CHEPE.


2. (SBU) MFA SOURCES REPORT THE CHARGE FIRST INDICATED THE
HEALTH OF THE PRISONERS WAS AN INTERNAL CUBAN AFFAIR AND THUS
THE EU SHOULD NOT INTERFERE, AND THEN AGREED TO PASS THE
ITALIAN'S POINTS TO HAVANA. MR. RAMOS ALSO SHARED THAT
"NOBODY HAS DIED IN CUBA'S JAILS FROM MALTREATMENT." MFA
SOURCES INDICATED THEY WERE NOT CONTEMPLATING FURTHER ACTION
ON THE DISSIDENTS' PLIGHT AT THIS TIME.
SEMBLER

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2003ROME03516 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED