GODR WILL VOTE WITH USG ON CUBA/GUANTANAMO BAY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANTO DOMINGO 002440 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR FOR MCISAAC AND IO E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2009 TAGS: PHUM PREL SUBJECT: GODR WILL VOTE WITH USG ON CUBA/GUANTANAMO BAY RESOLUTION IN UNCHR REF: A. STATE 87283 ¶B. STATE 85231 ¶C. SANTO DOMINGO 02386 ¶D. SANTO DOMINGO 02318 Classified By: Charge Lisa B. Kubiske, reason 1.4(d). ¶1. SUMMARY. (C) President Mejia told the Ambassador on April 20, that the GODR would vote with the USG against the UNCHR Cuban sponsored resolution condemning U.S. detainee policy at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. If the German sponsored procedural motion to adjourn the Cuba/Guantanamo Bay resolution is made, the GODR will vote for the procedural motion to adjourn. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Charge delivered reftel A and B talking points to GODR Foreign Minister Francisco Guerrero Prats on April 20th. Charge thanked Foreign Minister Guerrero Prats for the GODR vote on April 15, condemning human rights abuses in Cuba and asked for the GODR "no" vote on the resolution Cuba has tabled condemning the U.S. detainee policy for Guantanamo Bay. Foreign Minster Prats said he would confer with the GODR delegation in Geneva, study the resolution and take the issue to President Mejia for a final decision. ¶3. (C) In anticipation of Foreign Minister Prats' call on President Mejia, the Ambassador called the President on April 20 (from Washington, where the Ambassador is attending consultations). President Mejia told the Ambassador that the GODR would vote with the USG against the Cuba/Guantanamo Bay resolution or for the German procedural motion to adjourn the Cuba/Guantanamo Bay resolution. ¶4. (C) During Charge's conversation with Foreign Minister Prats, he told her that the passage of last week's resolution condemning human rights abuses in Cuba did not deprive Cuba of its sovereignty and that the Cubans, "always overreact." Foreign Minister Prats told the Charge that he would speak with the GODR delegation in Geneva about the Cuba/Guantanamo Bay resolution and then take the matter to President Mejia. ¶5. (C) COMMENT. The decision of President Mejia to instruct the GODR to vote with the U.S. on this important issue is another example of the very close collaboration between our two governments. To date there has been no public backlash based on the GODR's vote for the April 15th resolution condemning Cuba for human rights abuses, nevertheless, President Mejia believes the decision to stick with the USG on this issue will cost him politically (reftel D). If so, the backlash would come after the Cuba/Guantanamo Bay vote on April 21. END COMMENT. KUBISKE