Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NASSAU1096
2006-07-19 20:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Nassau
Cable title:  

BAHAMAS STRENGTHENS DIPLOMATIC TIES TO CUBA

Tags:  PREL CU BF 
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VZCZCXYZ0020
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBH #1096/01 2002057
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 192057Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY NASSAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2908
INFO RUEHBE/AMEMBASSY BELIZE 1273
RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN 5426
RUEHGE/AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN 3540
RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON 8371
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE 3396
RUEHSP/AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN 4552
RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO 2670
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0260
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L NASSAU 001096 

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SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR KJMCISAAC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2016
TAGS: PREL CU BF
SUBJECT: BAHAMAS STRENGTHENS DIPLOMATIC TIES TO CUBA


Classified By: Acting Political Chief Hugh Simon for Reasons 1.4(b) and
(d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L NASSAU 001096

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR KJMCISAAC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2016
TAGS: PREL CU BF
SUBJECT: BAHAMAS STRENGTHENS DIPLOMATIC TIES TO CUBA


Classified By: Acting Political Chief Hugh Simon for Reasons 1.4(b) and
(d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: The Bahamas opened an embassy in Cuba July

17. This expansion of diplomatic ties appears driven by a
pragmatic goal of addressing chronic Cuban migration issues.
However, as a result of embarrassing incidents involving
Cuban migrants, The Bahamas' vote for Cuba on the United
Nations Human Rights Council, and the opening of the embassy
in Havana, the Government has come under increasing pressure
from the opposition and the Bahamian public, making Cuban
relations a likely election issue. END SUMMARY.

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BAHAMAS OPENS EMBASSY IN CUBA
--------------


2. (U) On July 17, The Bahamas opened an embassy in Havana,
upgrading its former consulate. The Embassy will be headed
by Carlton Wright, former Consul in Havana, who will be
joined by vice consul Nestor Sands, Defense Attache Oral
Woods, and vice counsel/second secretary Chanelle Brown.


3. (U) The Bahamian Government believes a physical presence
in Cuba is necessary to provide consular services to the
approximately 20,000 Bahamians that travel to Cuba each year,
to address bilateral migration issues and to avoid a repeat
of a miscommunication in 1980 between Cuban and Bahamian
navies that led to the death of Bahamian sailors. On July
18, Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell said he planned to use the
opening of the embassy to rework The Bahamas' current
migration accord with Cuba, addressing prompt repatriation of
illegal migrants and better addressing refugee issues.


4. (U) These stated goals are supported by the choice of
Ambassador to Cuba. Carlton Wright is a career foreign
service officer with a background in consular affairs and
immigration. He has worked in the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs since 1973, with breaks to serve as Permanent
Secretary in the Ministry of Justice and as Permanent

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Secretary in the Ministry of Immigration, where he worked on

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Cuban migrant issues. At MFA, he has served as Consul in
Miami, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Undersecretary in charge of Consular Affairs, Charge
d'Affairs of the Bahamian Embassy in Haiti, advisor to OAS on

Haitian immigration matters and as Consul in Havana. He is
respected for his work on international refugee and migration
issues.

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MIGRATION DILEMMAS LIKELY A DRIVING FACTOR
--------------


5. (U) Illegal migration is one of the most important
domestic issues in coming elections, which must be held no
later than May 2007. The fear that The Bahamas could easily
be overwhelmed by Cuban or Haitian migrants is frequently
discussed by Government officials as The Bahamas' primary
national security concern. Cuban migrants interdicted in
Bahamian waters are taken to the Carmichael Road Detention
Center, where the repatriation process is often painfully
slow. Cuban Government delays in approving the return of
migrants cost The Bahamas hundreds of thousands of dollars,
and the threat of Cuban refusal to repatriate strikes a
sensitive cord with Bahamians.


6. (C) In addition to regular embarrassment caused by
escapes and Florida media attention, Cuban migration issues
also create significant diplomatic challenges. The Bahamas
views itself as a neutral party in international matters,
unwilling to take sides or criticize other nations. As said
by Foreign Minister Mitchell, "it is better for us to stay
out of the affairs of others." However, two Cuban dentists
held at the Detention Center for 11 months, and claimed by
both Cuba and the US, put the MFA in a position to choose.
Its inability to make a decision on the fate of the dentists
created a firestorm of controversy that put Cuba-Bahamian
relations at the forefront of public discussion.

--------------
CUBA TIES CREATE POSSIBLE ELECTION ISSUE
--------------


7. (C) While foreign policy has not traditionally been
central to Bahamian elections, perceived pro-Cuba decisions
-- the opening of the embassy, the vote for Cuba on the
United Nations Human Rights Council, the delay in sending the
Cuban dentists to the US -- have resulted in significant
local criticism of the Government. Following The Bahamas'
vote to put Cuba on the UNHCR, Ambassador Rood penned a
strong op-ed discussing the need for governments to reflect
their internal values in international fora. That theme has
been picked up by opposition party and the editorial boards
of the two main newspapers, resulting in pressure on Foreign
Minister Fred Mitchell and the Christie government. As said
by Leader of the Opposition Hubert Ingraham to the press
following the UNHCR vote, "If the FNM were in office, Cuba
would not have had the nerve or the gumption to ask us to
vote for them."

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RELATIONS ARE WITHIN CARICOM AND G-77/NAM FRAMEWORK
-------------- --------------


8. (C) COMMENT: The Bahamas relationship with Cuba, while
expanding, is largely pragmatic. The need to work closely
with Cuba on migration issues is real. Other aspects of the
relationship are consistent with the actions of a committed
member of G-77/NAM and a Foreign Minister dedicated to
maintaining strong relations with all of The Bahamas'
neighbors. However, current Bahamian interest in Cuba also
has an ideological aspect. In response to criticism of The
Bahamas' vote for Cuba on the UNHCR, Mitchell defended Cuba
as a great friend, and said of Cuba, "no other country,
unsolicited, has offered the level of assistance to this
country, assistance that is not of direct benefit to the
country offering the assistance." And while easy to dismiss
as rhetorical participation in CARICOM, The Bahamas has been
willing to strongly criticize US foreign policy towards Cuba
in a manner not necessarily consistent with its protestations
of pure neutrality. Nevertheless, we expect The Bahamas to
employ its Cuba relationship gently as a sort of ideological
balance reinforcing Bahamian independence from the US, but
primarily as a pragmatic tool to address consular and
migration concerns. END COMMENT.
ROOD