NORWAY GOES SOFT ON CUBA

C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000077

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2016
TAGS: PREL NO
SUBJECT: NORWAY GOES SOFT ON CUBA

REF: 05 OSLO 1730

Classified By: Pol/E Counselor Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 b and d.


1. (C) Summary. Foreign Minister Stoere has announced a
significant change to Norway's Cuba policy. Norway will no
longer invite Cuban dissidents to its annual Constitution Day
(May 17) event held at the Norwegian Embassy in Havana. This
reversal was prompted by Norway's desire to re-gain direct
access to the Cuban government, which had cut them off for
their inclusion of the dissidents. This disturbing decision
is a further signal of Labor's interest in keeping its
Socialist Left Party government coalition partner happy. End
summary.

Norway Caves in the "Canape War"
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2. (C) On January 24 Foreign Minister Stoere announced
publicly that Norway will change its previous policy and will
no longer invite Cuban dissidents to its May 17 "Constitution
Day" celebration. The left-of-center government hopes this
decision will get Norway back into the good graces of the
Cuban government and enable direct dialogue. For the last
several years the previous Norwegian center-right government
invited Cuban dissidents to its annual May 17 event. This
practice in effect had caused them to be cut off from any
direct dialogues with the Cuban government.


3. (U) FM Stoere is quoted as saying, "I have assessed that
there are other days of the year than May 17 to talk to, and
work with, the Cuban opposition. Now we are changing this,
and resume dialogue with the Cuban authorities, like many
other countries have also done." He went on to emphasize
that the Norwegian government still will have contact with
groups critical of Castro in Cuba, but "we must also do this
in a way that makes it possible to have a dialogue with the
Cuban government."


4. (C) Many on the political left have been pushing for this
change in Norway's Cuba policy and welcomed Stoere's
announcement. Labor organization (LO) leader Gerd-Liv Valla
had called for Norway to reverse its "Canape War" policy last
December and has now expressed her approval of the new
policy. Likewise, politicians from the far-left Socialist
Left Party welcomed the government's decision.

Questioning US Sanctions
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5. (U) FM Stoere went on to say that "Erik Solheim
(International Development Minister) and I think it is
important to examine the whole sanction instrument to see
whether it is an effective instrument, when it can be used,
and under what circumstances." Stoere added that, "the U.S.
has taken an attitude that over time, in relation to Cuba, we
think leads to unreasonable consequences for the people of
Cuba. What we are doing now, brings us in line with the
other EU countries on this question."

Comment
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6. (C) With Norway's new left-of center government
celebrating its first one-hundred days in office, we see yet
another example that the tides are changing in Norway's
foreign policy. FM Stoere's comments demonstrate a
significant change in the earlier direction Norway was
pursing in Cuba. As we have previously reported, we were
skeptical about how hard this government would press to
advance democracy in Cuba, but this sudden change goes far
beyond our earlier concerns.


7. (C) Comment continued. The abrupt change of policy is
certain to upset those at the working-level in the MFA's
Latin American Section as they have been pursing the "Canape
War" policy with steady determination to prove Norway's
commitment to promoting democracy and freedom around the
globe. End comment.
Visit Oslo's Classified website:
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WHITNEY


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