GODR ON CUBA AT THE UNGA AND THE IBERO-AMERICAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANTO DOMINGO 006327 SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR (MCISAAC),WHA/CCA, IO/UNP, USUN E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2013 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ETRD CU DR SUBJECT: GODR ON CUBA AT THE UNGA AND THE IBERO-AMERICAN SUMMIT REF: A. STATE 297777 B. STATE 301451 Classified By: EcoPol Counselor Michael Meigs, reasons 1.5 (b,d). 1.(C) Summary. The Dominican Republic will not vote against or abstain in Cuba's UNGA resolution on the U.S. embargo. However, the Dominicans will support a separate resolution against human rights abuses in Cuba at the Ibero-American Summit. End Summary. ¶2. (U) Poloffs delivered reftel B talking points to Ambassador Rhadys Abreu de Polanco, Deputy Director of the International Organizations desk at the Dominican Foreign Ministry, on November 3. Reftel A talking points were delivered on October 30. Ambassador Abreu told us that the Dominican Republic would not vote against or abstain on the Cuban resolution on ending the U.S. embargo against Cuba which will be presented in the UNGA. The GODR voted for Cuba's resolution last year, and the Dominican UN permrep has already been instructed to do so again this year. Ambassador Abreu listened politely to arguments on why the Dominican Republic should abstain from voting for the resolution, but remained unswayed. She told us that the Foreign Ministry did not receive our request far enough in advance to change the instructions to the Dominican permrep. ¶3. (C) Ambassador Abreu was considerably more positive on the possibility of supporting a resolution condemning Cuba's human rights record at the upcoming Ibero-American Summit. She told us that the Ibero-American Summit was the correct forum to raise the issue of the "events" that took place in March in Cuba. She indicated that other countries felt the same way and thought that a resolution could be successfully introduced and adopted at the summit. ¶4. (U) Ambassador Abreu raised the subject of official representation at international organization summits, assemblies and conferences. She told us that the current Foreign Minister approves all representatives from the GODR and that he often waits until the last minute to decide who will attend or to change the list of attendees. For example, the GODR expected to send its Deputy Foreign Minister and International Organizations Director to the OAS Special Security Conference in Mexico. On the day they were to depart, the Foreign Minister decided that he would attend himself and no other ministry personnel would accompany him. Ambassador Abreu said she would inform the Foreign Minister that for planning purposes the USG prefers to have a list of attendees as far in advance as possible. ¶5. (C) COMMENT: It appears that the GODR is under regional pressure to vote with Cuba on its UNGA resolution. Ambassador Abreu's comment that the USG's request to vote against the resolution or abstain from voting was tardy, is not an indication that the GODR would have voted any differently even if asked to do so months in advance. The GODR is unlikely to introduce a resolution condemning Cuba at the Ibero-American Summit, but can be expected to vote for such a resolution if one is introduced. HERTELL