Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03SANTODOMINGO7444
2003-12-18 12:10:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Santo Domingo
Cable title:  

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NORIEGA DISCUSSES CUBA WITH EU

Tags:  PREL PGOV CU 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SANTO DOMINGO 007444 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA, WHA/CAR, WHA/

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2008
TAGS: PREL PGOV CU
SUBJECT: ASSISTANT SECRETARY NORIEGA DISCUSSES CUBA WITH EU
AMBASSADOR AMADO


Classified By: Ambassador Hans Hertell. Reason: 1.5 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANTO DOMINGO 007444

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA, WHA/CAR, WHA/

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2008
TAGS: PREL PGOV CU
SUBJECT: ASSISTANT SECRETARY NORIEGA DISCUSSES CUBA WITH EU
AMBASSADOR AMADO


Classified By: Ambassador Hans Hertell. Reason: 1.5 (b) and (d)


1. (C) The Ambassador and Assistant Secretary Noriega
Hertell met December 11 with the EU Ambassador to the
Dominican Republic, Miguel Amado, who also has responsibility
for Cuba. Noriega expressed his hope that the USG and the EU
could work together on Cuban issues, and emphasized our
effort to develop strategies to respond to the inevitable
transition of power in Cuba.


2. (C) Amado highlighted his own efforts to bring Cuba
under the EU,s cultural agreement umbrella with the
Caribbean, and possibly to open a EU "Cuba office" in Santo
Domingo. Amado had been working hard to encourage Cuba to
agree to a program that included a seminar on trade, a
dialogue with dissidents, a dialogue with Castro,s technical
people, and cultural activities.


3. (C) Amado felt he had been making progress until the
EU,s criticism of Castro,s handling of dissidents. Now, he
said, Castro has begun to attack European leaders and has
played on European weakness to divide the EU into several
camps. This divide has been critical in light of the scant
attention that the EU pays Cuba, even in the best of times.
Progress has been suspended for the time being.


4. (C) That said, Amado has not given up all hope. He told
A/S Noriega and the Ambassador that he was trying to get the
Church more involved.


5. (C) Comment: Amado, with a creative approach, has been
a driver of thinking in the EU on how to deal with Cuba. He
retains a keen interest in seeing political and economic
reforms in Cuba, and as such, is an valuable ally for our
efforts to bring about needed reform in Cuba.
HERTELL