IRELAND: NO CHANGE FOR TITLE III/LIBERTAD

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000678 SIPDIS WHA/CCA E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/27/2014 TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL SUBJECT: IRELAND: NO CHANGE FOR TITLE III/LIBERTAD REF: A. STATE 96300 ¶B. 04 DUBLIN 1728 Classified By: POL/ECON CHIEF MARY DALY, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B),(D) ¶1. (C) On June 1, Emboff discussed reftel with Department of Foreign Affairs Americas Section Third Secretary Margaret Stanley. According to Stanley, the GOI has taken no specific bilateral actions to advance democracy, human rights, and fundamental freedoms in Cuba in the last six months. Ireland is credited to Cuba via its mission in Mexico City and has no diplomats in Cuba. Therefore, Ireland has few dealings with the Cuban Government and tends to follow the EU consensus on Cuba. The GOI supported previously, and is likely to support again, the suspension of the right to bring actions, under Title III of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act, per ref A. ¶2. (U) According to Stanley, Ireland, via membership in the European Union (EU) Council, adopted the January EU Common Position that calls on Cuban authorities to release all political prisoners currently being detained. Through Council membership, Ireland also promoted "enhanced and more regular dialogue with Cuba," and suspended measures against Cuba taken on June 5, 2003. Such measures include the limitation of high-level visits and reductions of the level of cultural events participation. The Council will review these measures before July 2005 in light of recent progress and setbacks in Cuban growth towards democratic pluralism. ¶3. (U) Ireland is not a significant trading partner with Cuba. In terms of trade, in 2004, Ireland only exported goods worth euro 778,000 to Cuba, consisting mainly of cork and wood products, beverages, and organic chemicals. Ireland imported goods worth just euro 500,000, mainly articles of apparel, vegetables and fruit, and tobacco. There are no known major Irish investments in Cuba. KENNY