C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 002894

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2014
TAGS: PREL PHUM CU AR MOLINA
SUBJECT: POSSIBLE KIRCHNER VISIT TO CUBA STILL UNDER REVIEW

REF: BUENOS AIRES 02682

Classified By: Ambassador Lino Gutierrez for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (C) Summary: At a luncheon on October 6, Under Secretary
for Foreign Policy Garcia Moritan told the Ambassador that
Cuba was lobbying hard for an official visit from either
President Nestor Kirchner or the first lady but that no visit
would be contemplated until Cuban scientist Hilda Molina was
allowed to visit her family in Argentina. The Ambassador
told Garcia Moritan a visit by Kirchner, regardless of the
circumstances, was a bad idea and would simply play into the
hands of the Cuban government. We made it clear that we
would prefer that no visit to Cuba by GoA officials take
place. However, if one did, the Ambassador stressed it was
absolutely essential that Kirchner also meet with dissidents
and opposition activists. In a separate meeting the same day
with the DCM, the Foreign Minister's Chief of Cabinet,
Ambassador Eduardo Valdes, also raised the possibility of a
Kirchner visit to Cuba. The DCM underscored that a Kirchner
visit would send the wrong message and undermine the strong
commitment to human rights and democracy the president had
demonstrated here in Argentina and in his dealings with other
countries in the region. End Summary.


2. (C) At a luncheon on October 6, the number three MFA
official, Under Secretary for Foreign Policy Roberto Garcia
Moritan, told the Ambassador that Cuba was lobbying hard for
an official visit by either Kirchner or the first lady (and
senator) Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. Garcia Moritan
noted that any consideration of a visit was dependent on
resolving the long-standing issue of granting travel permits
to Cuban scientist Hilda Molina and her mother to visit her
son and his family in Argentina. The Ambassador told Garcia
Moritan a visit by Kirchner, regardless of the circumstances,
was a bad idea and would simply play into the hands of the
Cuban government. However, if a visit did take place, he
stressed to Garcia Moritan that it was absolutely essential
that Kirchner also meet with dissidents and opposition
activists.


3. (C) The same day the DCM, accompanied by the ECON and POL
counselors, met with the Foreign Ministry Chief of Cabinet,
Amb. Eduardo Valdes, to provide a briefing on a separate
issue. (MFA Director for North American Affairs Amb. Vicente
Espeche Gil was also present.) Following the briefing,
Valdes quickly raised the issue of a possible Kirchner trip
to Cuba. He noted he was aware of the meeting DCM had with
Under Secretary for Latin American Affairs Dario Alessandro
last month on the Cuban visit issue. (reftel) Valdes said
the possibility of a Kirchner visit to Cuba had been
misinterpreted and played up by the media. As did Garcia
Moritan with the Ambassador, he added that a presidential
visit would not take place before a resolution of the Molina
issue.


4. (C) Repeating the points delivered to Alessandro, the DCM
emphasized that a Kirchner visit to Cuba (regardless of
whether Molina was issued a travel permit) would send the
wrong message in light of the systematic repression and
crackdown by Cuba on opposition activists. He pointed out
that Kirchner had worked diligently to establish strong
credentials as a supporter of human rights and constitutional
democracy, noting his support for the constitutional
government of President Mesa in Bolivia and for the recall
referendum in Venezuela and that a Cuba visit would undermine
these accomplishments. The DCM told Valdes that if Kirchner
ultimately did decide to visit Cuba, meetings with opposition
and dissident figures would be critical. Valdes responded
with a replay of Kirchner's efforts in support of democratic
institutions in Venezuela and Bolivia and then ended the
meeting, stating that for the present "we're not going" (to
Cuba).


5. (C) Comment: The Ambassador and Country Team members
will continue to raise the issue of human rights in Cuba and
to discourage GoA actions that can be manipulated by the
Cuban government in Castro's favor. End Comment.
GUTIERREZ