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