Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06HAVANA11516
2006-06-02 20:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
US Interests Section Havana
Cable title:  

"FRIENDS OF DEMOCRATIC CUBA" INSPIRE ACTIVISTS,

Tags:  PHUM PREL KDEM SOCI CU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6623
RR RUEHAG
DE RUEHUB #1516/01 1532053
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 022053Z JUN 06
FM USINT HAVANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8704
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HAVANA 011516 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE DEPT FOR WHA/CCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2016
TAGS: PHUM PREL KDEM SOCI CU
SUBJECT: "FRIENDS OF DEMOCRATIC CUBA" INSPIRE ACTIVISTS,
ANNOY EURODIPS


HAVANA 00011516 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: COM Michael Parmly for Reason 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HAVANA 011516

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE DEPT FOR WHA/CCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2016
TAGS: PHUM PREL KDEM SOCI CU
SUBJECT: "FRIENDS OF DEMOCRATIC CUBA" INSPIRE ACTIVISTS,
ANNOY EURODIPS


HAVANA 00011516 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: COM Michael Parmly for Reason 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Cuban pro-democracy activists got a boost
from the May 24 conference call with the "Group of Friends of
Democratic Cuba," a loose alliance of US Representatives,
European diplomats in Washington, prominent members of the
Miami exile community and others. One of the activist
participants, Martha Beatriz Roque, plans to hold a follow-up
meeting June 5 with the Slovak Ambassador to Cuba. The
European envoys in Washington expressed strong solidarity
with the activists and told them it is only a matter of time
before freedom comes to Cuba. European reps in Havana like
the idea in principle, but were blindsided by the May 24
event. End Summary.


2. (SBU/NF) Cuban pro-democracy activists tell us they are
inspired by the May 24 conference call with the "Group of
Friends of Democratic Cuba," an alliance of Cuba-focused US
Representatives, European diplomats in Washington, prominent
exile-community members and others. During the call, many at
the Washington end expressed solidarity with the Cuban
activists and indicated they would pressure the GOC to
account for human rights violations. At the USINT end,
participants included activists Martha Beatriz Roque and
Nestor Rodriguez Lobaina; travel obstacles kept a third
activist, Bertha Antunez, from participating. USINT staff,
including COM, also took part. Members of the "Ladies in
White," relatives of political prisoners, later expressed
support for the event and the discourse it generated.

"WE ARE ON YOUR SIDE"
--------------


3. (SBU/NF) Washington-based diplomats who took part included
the Ambassadors or DCMs of Hungary, the Czech Republic,
Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia. Roque and Lobaina made
clear that their prime objective is the immediate liberation
of political prisoners. Another goal, they said, is to halt
the harassment of dissidents. The Czech official told the
activists, "We are the worst news for your oppressor because
we prove that success can happen. Our countries are now

vibrant and free." The Slovak official said: "We are on your
side. Here you see U.S. Congressmen and Ambassadors of
democratic countries building a democratic coalition. We all
need to do what we can, including at the UN and in terms of
material support." The Lithuanian official wished the
activists luck, reminded them that his country does not have
an Embassy in Havana, and asked how Lithuanians could help.

"SEND SUPPORT THROUGH YOUR EMBASSIES"
--------------


4. (SBU/NF) Roque responded to the offer of assistance by
requesting greater outreach by European embassies in Havana.
She added: "Stan (Kazecky) from the Czech Republic was
expelled. We have practically no contact with Hungary. We
have had contact with Poland, even though its Ambassador has
not yet been allowed in. We haven't yet had any contact with
Slovenia, and we look forward to that." Roque also
encouraged the Group of Friends of Democratic Cuba to send
material support to Cuba's human rights community through
their Embassies. "Also, Internet access is crucial. We have
that here at USINT, but it would be great to have the other
diplomatic offices do the same. We don't want Uncle Sam to
be the only 'bad guy'." Lobaina, for his part, highlighted
the ongoing repression of Cuban youth through the use of
preventive detention. He said it is imperative to "fight
Castro's disinformation... We need to inform people about the
political prisoners and the oppression. We also need to
break through to international media... The dictator should
be isolated and condemned by the world."

"A MESSAGE TO THOSE LISTENING IN"
--------------


5. (SBU/NF) Toward the end of the conference call, the
Hungarian official told the activists that the Friends would
be "watching after you... I hope this sends a clear message
to those listening in" on the call. Among the last words was
that of the Slovak official, who told the activists that
freedom can't be stopped. "We don't know if it will take two
weeks, three months or a year, but it will happen."

DISCONNECT WITH HAVANA DIPS
--------------


6. (C) Roque told us that on June 5, she will meet with the
Slovak Ambassador to Havana in the first of several

HAVANA 00011516 002.2 OF 002


high-level meetings following the conference call. However,
both the Slovak and Polish Charges d'Affaires told P/E
Counselor they were blindsided by the May 24 event, only
learning about it later from Roque. The Polish Charge
worried that publicity of this initiative would create
tighter Cuban regime restrictions on outreach activities.
The Slovak Charge was even more annoyed, and complained that
Washington-based Ambassadors should not be making Cuba policy
behind the backs of their colleagues on the ground in Havana.
On the other hand, the Slovaks here were moving ahead with
their Internet project. The Hungarian Embassy in Havana is
the most disconnected - its Ambassador is a Castro
sympathizer.

COMMENT
--------------


7. (C) The Czechs, Poles and Slovaks are the most active in
reaching out to the dissidents. When we do this again, it
might be useful to encourage the Washington and Havana
Embassies of our friends to coordinate between and among
themselves and their capitals.
PARMLY