ECUADOR REVIEW REGARDING TITLE III OF THE LIBERTAD

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 002750 SIPDIS PASS TO WHA/CCA E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2015 TAGS: ETRD PREL CU EC SUBJECT: ECUADOR REVIEW REGARDING TITLE III OF THE LIBERTAD ACT REF: STATE 207359 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Jefferson T. Brown, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d ) ¶1. (C) In response to reftel request, Post provides the following information regarding trade and other relations between Ecuador and Cuba. Trade between the two countries is not extensive. In 2004, Ecuador exports to Cuba, mostly oil, totaled $14,437,920 (CIF) and Ecuadorian imports from Cuba totaled only $286,230 (CIF). ¶2. (C) The vast majority of Ecuadorian exports to Cuba (60%) were crude oil exports. The next largest exported product was tuna (4%),with other products each amounting to no more than 3% of the total. Ecuadorian exporters include PetroEcuador (the state-owned oil company),Adelca (steel), Indurama (white goods),La Fabril (edible oils),Nestle (milk powder),several rose exporters such as Florisol, Rosas Unicas, Loveroses, Nevado Ecuador Roses, Cia. de Elaborados de Cafe Elcafe and Kavecafe (coffee),Pinturas Condor (paint),Ind. de Enlatados Alimenticios (canned goods), Farmacia Espinosa and Grunenthal Ecuatoriana (pharmaceuticals),Hilantex (textiles),and Corporacion Industrial Fishing Corp. (fish). ¶3. (C) The bulk of imports that Ecuador received from Cuba in 2004 (33%) were not classified into any category. The largest amount of imports that were classified (22% of total imports) was vaccines. The next largest category was synthetic plasma (18%). Each of the other imports accounted for less than 3% of the total imports Ecuador received from Cuba. Among the importers were: Medicina Cubana, Novartis Ecuador, Laboratorios Bago, Muebles y Diversidades Muedirsa, NedtransEcuador and the following individuals, Carlos Garcia, Manuela Ribadeneira Q., Patricio Yepez, Carmita Marina Pineda Carrion, Mariuxi Johanna Rendon Meneses and Noralma Beatriz Vera Arrata. ¶4. (C) Cuba has also sent teachers and medical doctors to Ecuador. Several months ago Vice President Alejandro Serrano made an official visit to Cuba, linked to a graduation ceremony for Ecuadorian medical personnel. The GOE notified Post in advance of that visit. BROWN