FRENCH OPPOSE RETURN TO EU SANCTIONS AGAINST CUBA

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 003921 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2015 TAGS: PREL PHUM NL CU FR EUN SUBJECT: FRENCH OPPOSE RETURN TO EU SANCTIONS AGAINST CUBA REF: STATE 102505 Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Paul Mailhot for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Poloff delivered reftel points on June 3 and followed up with a conversation on June 6 with Pascal LeDeunff, head of the French MFA's Common Foreign and Security Policy office, the unit that prepares French input for the GAERC meetings. LeDeunff took note of the U.S. position, but emphasized that the French position on Cuba and the suspension of the restrictive measures has not changed. LeDeunff characterized the recent EU policy as "effective," asserting that the EU had been able to develop a "structured, useful dialogue" with dissidents with their twice-yearly meetings with EU ambassadors in Havana, and that they had resumed the dialogue with the Cuban government, consistently emphasizing the Europeans' attachment to human rights. "Even if we don't see the results yet," of the policy, he said, "it is a useful and effective dialogue." ¶2. (C) LeDeunff conceded that some other EU countries were still considering their positions, but mentioned Spain as another country that planned to maintain its position against lifting the suspension. WOLFF