IRELAND'S CUBA POLICY: RESPONSE TO TITLE III

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000959

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/28/2009
TAGS: PREL PHUM ETTC EUN
SUBJECT: IRELAND'S CUBA POLICY: RESPONSE TO TITLE III
WAIVER REVIEW

REF: A) STATE 135512 B) BRUSSELS 2733

Classified By: DCM Jane B. Fort, reason 1.4 (d)


1. (C) Per ref A, Ireland has used its January-June 2004
EU Presidency to maintain a tougher EU line on Cuba in
support of democracy and human rights. During its
Presidency, Ireland led the annual re-evaluation of the
Common Position. which renewed the criticisms of the Castro
regime from the prior year. DFA First Secretary for Latin
America and the Caribbean Jonathan Conlon told Poloff that
the "political freeze" had blocked dialogue with and EU aid
to Cuba, but that Ireland would not be deterred in advancing
the Common Position goals of democratic reform.


2. (SBU) Conlon referred to statements issued by the Irish
EU Presidency in May and June of this year, condemning the
trials and sentencing of human rights activists and
journalists, and calling on the Cuban authorities to release
all political prisoners.


3. (C) Ireland shares our goals and objectives of reform in
Cuba, and has worked hard - and successfully - throughout its
Presidency to repair and renew TransAtlantic cooperation on
foreign policy. We agree with USEU's assessment (ref B) that
an imposition of Title III measures against Ireland, as an EU
member, would be highly counterproductive to our efforts to
work cooperatively with the Irish and the EU to sustain
pressure on the Castro regime.
KENNY