CZECH FONMIN PUSHING IDEAS TO TOUGHEN EU CUBA

S E C R E T BRUSSELS 002146

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/CCA, EUR/ERA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2015
TAGS: PREL PHUM PINR CU EUN
SUBJECT: CZECH FONMIN PUSHING IDEAS TO TOUGHEN EU CUBA
POLICY

REF: USEU TODAY 06/02/05

Classified By: USEU POLOFF TODD HUIZINGA, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (S) On the margins of a European Parliament conference on
Cuba on June 2, Czech FonMin Cyril Svoboda told us he had
"four or five" specific proposals for toughening the EU's
stance on Cuba. In the run-up to the June 13 EU FonMins
meeting, at which Cuba policy will be reviewed, Svoboda is
trying to drum up support among his EU counterparts. Since
he is still promoting these ideas internally, Svoboda said he
could not disclose them to us. He stressed, though, that he
was doing all he could to come to an EU common position that
would ratchet up the pressure on Cuba and keep the pressure
on until the regime made real changes. He told us he
believed he already had the support of Poland, Slovakia and
Germany, and added that his Danish counterpart, Per Stig
Moeller, told him he would support Svoboda's proposals after
they had been officially tabled.


2. (S) Svoboda said he was almost certain the EU would not
reinstate the June 2003 restrictive measures, but that
everyone admitted the measures' suspension had failed to
bring any change at all to Cuba. Remarking on a recent
meeting he had had with Spanish FonMin Miguel Moratinos,
Svoboda said, "Even he realizes the EU has to make some
changes (in its Cuba policy)." In a further comment, Svoboda
said the Dutch desire to play the role of mediator had not
always been constructive: they often seemed interested in
reaching a consensus as an end in itself as opposed to
promoting an effective EU Cuba policy.


3. (C) COMMENT: The fact that Svoboda himself counts only 3
to 5 allies among the member states reveals he has his work
cut out for him. Also, he appears to have given up the
possibility of reinstating the restrictive measures, despite
the fact that the Czech Republic was the member state most
strongly opposed to suspending them in January. This leads
us to believe that Svoboda's hoped-for tougher policy may
prove to be little more than an EU declaration wrapping
continued suspension of the restrictive measures in tougher
language. Nonetheless, with the internal EU debate on Cuba
policy still very heated, Svoboda may have a fighting chance
to get the EU to increase the pressure on Castro. Much will
depend on how strongly Germany supports him, and how
determined Spain proves to be in its advocacy of continued EU
rapprochement with Cuba. END COMMENT.

MCKINLEY
.