Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04PARIS8227
2004-11-12 17:54:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

FRANCE'S EU/CUBA POSITION

Tags:  PHUM PREL FR CU 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

121754Z Nov 04

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FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8447
INFO EU MEMBER STATES PRIORITY
USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 
USINT HAVANA PRIORITY 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 
USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY 0955
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 008227 

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/11/2014
TAGS: PHUM PREL FR CU
SUBJECT: FRANCE'S EU/CUBA POSITION

REF: A. STATE 228300


B. STATE 223497

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 008227

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/11/2014
TAGS: PHUM PREL FR CU
SUBJECT: FRANCE'S EU/CUBA POSITION

REF: A. STATE 228300


B. STATE 223497

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Poloff delivered reftel demarche and
non-paper to MFA Cuba Desk Officer Eric Chaux and U.S. desk
officer Jean-Charles Bou on November 12. Chaux opened by
saying that even if there were a change in the EU common
policy toward Cuba, the GoF would remain critical of the
Castro regime's human rights record and stress that the
gesture of releasing seven of the imprisoned dissidents for
health reasons was not sufficient. Additionally, he
continued, the GoF saw no reason to change its position on
Cuba at the UN. Chaux asserted that the GoF had been
considering its position on the EU policy with regards to
Cuba in light of Spanish efforts to change approaches, but
had not yet reached any conclusions. Chaux added that France
would use the upcoming November 16 COLAT meeting to debate
the merits of the sanctions put in place in June 2003 and
reach a common decision with the other EU member states.
However, despite his insistence that the GoF was still
undecided, Chaux seemed to be letting us know that the GoF
would likely support changes to EU policy proposed by Spain.
End summary.


2. (C) Chaux underlined that the U.S. and EU shared the same
goal for Cuba: improvement in the human rights situation and
peaceful evolution to democracy. The November 16 debate
would be an opportunity for the EU to evaluate the
effectiveness of its policy in making progress towards these
goals. Chaux noted that some EU countries felt that the
freezing of communications between the GoC and European
Embassies in Havana as a result of the June 2003 sanctions
had cut off their ability to work with more moderate,
non-hardline members of the Cuban government. He emphasized
that if the EU policy changed, it would not be because the EU
was less critical of Cuba or that the GoF would stop working
with the opposition. In fact, Chaux hypothesized, a change
in policy might allow more interaction with the opposition,
albeit in a less visible and symbolic manner than inviting
then to national day celebrations. The EU would have to weigh
the "gains" of these symbolic invitations against the "loss"
of access to some members of the GoC. Chaux remarked that
the GoF had not specifically considered any of the
recommendations proposed in the U.S. non-paper, but that
these proposals would likely be a part of the November 16
discussions. Comment: We believe that Chaux's "hypothetical"
musings indicate that the GoF is seriously considering
supporting, if not already planning to actively support, the
Spanish proposed changes to EU policy. End comment.


3. (C) Poloff mentioned that new MFA Director for the
Americas Daniel Parfait would be traveling to Washington in
December and had requested meetings with A/S Jones and A/S
Noriega, and that Cuba would likely be a topic of
conversation. Chaux hoped that the meetings would be an
opportunity to reinforce U.S./French common goals for Cuba
and an occasion to brainstorm together about Cuba's future.
As subjects for discussion, Chaux specifically mentioned the
roles of dissidents and the Florida diaspora after the
dictatorship as well as U.S. strategies for the various
possible scenarios in a post-Castro Cuba.
Wolff


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