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 CUBA'>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