SLOVAK EMBASSY IN HAVANA CONTINUES EFFORTS TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000551 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM CU LO SUBJECT: SLOVAK EMBASSY IN HAVANA CONTINUES EFFORTS TO SUPPORT ACTIVISTS REF: A. BRATISLAVA 359 ¶B. BRATISLAVA 221 Classified By: CDA a.i. Lawrence R. Silverman for Reasons 1.4 (B) and ( D). ¶1. (C) MFA Director for Americas Dusan Kristofik told Poloff June 30 that the Slovak Ambassador to Cuba recently traveled to Miami, Florida, for meetings with Cuban dissident groups there. The groups gave the Slovak Ambassador computer equipment, which he then brought back as "diplomatic cargo." Some of the computer equipment was donated directly to opposition groups in Cuba, while the rest -- including satellite modems -- will be used to install internet terminals in the Slovak Embassy for public use. ¶2. (C) Kristofik reiterated that the Slovak Embassy in Havana has been very active; the Slovak DCM recently traveled around the country to meet with people. In addition, in Bratislava, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working to get the Slovak Ministry of Education to waive the requirement that foreign scholarship students from Cuba receive the approval of their home-country Education ministry, arguing that Cuba is a unique case. The Slovaks hope to be able to bring over Cuban students who are not hand-picked by the Castro regime. ¶3. (C) Meanwhile, the Cuban Embassy in Bratislava is still headed by a Charge d'Affaires, and Kristofik was unsure whether the departed Ambassador would be replaced (ref A). The Cuban government told him to expect a 6-month delay before the arrival of a new Ambassador; Kristofik considers this a "waiting period" during which Havana will see if the Slovaks continue their democratization efforts in Cuba, precipitating a downgrade in relations. SILVERMAN