Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ROME2080
2005-06-16 15:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

NSC CUBA REVIEW REGARDING SUSPENSION OF TITLE III

Tags:  ETRD ETTC PREL CU IT HUMAN RIGHTS 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002080 

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/17/2005
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU IT HUMAN RIGHTS
SUBJECT: NSC CUBA REVIEW REGARDING SUSPENSION OF TITLE III
OF THE LIBERTAD ACT: ITALY

REF: STATE 96300

Classified by Polmincounselor Tom Countryman for reasons 1.4.
(b)(d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002080

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/17/2005
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU IT HUMAN RIGHTS
SUBJECT: NSC CUBA REVIEW REGARDING SUSPENSION OF TITLE III
OF THE LIBERTAD ACT: ITALY

REF: STATE 96300

Classified by Polmincounselor Tom Countryman for reasons 1.4.
(b)(d)


1. (C) Summary: There have been no dramatic changes in
Italy's approach to Cuba in the last six months. Italy
continues to support the common European Union position and
has also resisted changes to liberalize it in Havana's favor.
Italy supported the U.S. position and played a role in
helping the U.S. pass resolutions on Cuba at the Human Rights
Commission. Embassy Rome recommends the continuation of
Italy's waiver under Title III as essential in helping Italy
maintain these helpful positions. End Summary.


2. (C) Polmincouns discussed Italy's approach to Cuba with
the new Director General of the Americas Claudio Bisogniero
on June 13, and on June 16, in more detail with the Director
of the Caribbean and Central American Office, Paolo Miraglia.


Political Developments
--------------


3. (C) Bisogniero and Miraglia described Italy as seeking to
maintain a balanced EU position toward Cuba. Italy continues
to resist efforts, primarily by Spain, to liberalize the EU
position to Havana's advantage. Conversely, Italy is not
prepared to support or strengthen measures pushed by the
Czech Republic, Poland, and others. Italy believes that the
recent reaffirmation of the EU's policy at the Colat meeting
this month was the right signal to send to Cuba, expressing
that EU relations cannot improve absent progress on democracy
and human rights.


4. (C) The previously strong public sympathy for Cuba
continues to erode. Recent events, such as the expulsion of
an Italian journalist from Cuba in March, have bolstered
press and political criticism of Cuba. Even the left of
center parties have stepped up their criticism of Cuba's poor
human rights record.


5. (C) Minister Miraglia also commented that Italian
government officials have consciously decided not to allow
the exchange of high-level political visits with Cuba as long
as the internal political situation shows no improvement.

Economic Developments
--------------


6. (C) Miraglia said that in the previous six months there
have been no important Italian investments or business deals
in Cuba. The level of trade remains unchanged, which
reflects the generally poor political relations between Italy
and Cuba. Keeping with its interpretation of the EU Common
Policy, the Italian Embassy in Cuba remains one of the few
Italian Embassies that does not maintain a commercial office.

Human Rights Resolutions
--------------


7. (C) Italy has supported the EU consensus in favor of
resolutions critical of Cuba. Moreover, Italy opposed the
Cuban resolution on Guantanamo. Bisogniero observed that
Italy played a role in transforming the EU position on the
Guantanamo position from initial sympathy to ultimate
opposition.

SEMBLER


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2005ROME02080 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL