CUBAN ANTI-EMBARGO RESOLUTION: FRENCH RESPONSE

UNCLAS PARIS 007539 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CCA, IO/UNP, AND USUN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL ETRD CU FR UNGA SUBJECT: CUBAN ANTI-EMBARGO RESOLUTION: FRENCH RESPONSE REF: STATE 215870 (SBU) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Jeanne de Tarle, MFA UN Desk Officer covering the Caribbean; Eric Chaux, MFA Cuba Desk Officer; and Christophe Katsahian, U.S. Desk Officer, on October 13. De Tarle underlined that the GOF shared our overall assessment of the human rights situation in Cuba. She added that France follows the human rights situation closely and would continue to do so, but that France's history of voting for the resolution against the embargo was unlikely to change. De Tarle emphasized that an affirmative vote on the resolution was not a show of support for the Castro regime, but rather a position taken on principle, and, she said, the GOF considers the embargo an ineffective way of bringing about democratic change in Cuba. While it is probable that the GOF will vote with other EU countries in support of the resolution, de Tarle indicated that there would likely be a strongly worded Explanation of Vote to voice EU concern with the continued human rights abuses of the Castro regime. Leach NNNN