Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PORTOFSPAIN1431
2006-12-18 18:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Port Of Spain
Cable title:
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - LIBERTAD ACT TITLE III REVIEW
how-toVZCZCXYZ0003 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHSP #1431 3521822 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 181822Z DEC 06 FM AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7698 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0038
C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT OF SPAIN 001431
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CCA AND WHA/CAR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2016
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU TD
SUBJECT: TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - LIBERTAD ACT TITLE III REVIEW
REF: A. STATE 191752
B. PORT OF SPAIN 501
Classified By: DCM Eugene Sweeney, reasons 1.4 (b/d)
Ref: (A) State 191752, (B) Port of Spain 501
(U) This message responds to reftel questions.
C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT OF SPAIN 001431
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CCA AND WHA/CAR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2016
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU TD
SUBJECT: TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - LIBERTAD ACT TITLE III REVIEW
REF: A. STATE 191752
B. PORT OF SPAIN 501
Classified By: DCM Eugene Sweeney, reasons 1.4 (b/d)
Ref: (A) State 191752, (B) Port of Spain 501
(U) This message responds to reftel questions.
1. (C) QUESTION: What is the nature of investments that host
country businesses have in Cuba?
ANSWER: Post is aware of no Trinidad & Tobago companies or
individuals with significant presence or investments in Cuba.
2. (C) QUESTION: Are there any bilateral trade agreements
between host country and Cuba?
ANSWER: Trinidad & Tobago does not have a bilateral trade
agreement with Cuba, but as a member of CARICOM, T&T has
ratified the trade agreement between CARICOM and Cuba. This
year the GOTT established a trade office in Cuba, to serve as
a conduit between T&T manufacturers and Cuban state companies.
3. (C) QUESTION: Are there any exchange programs between host
country and Cuba, including but not limited to: scholarships
for host country nationals to study in Cuba; Cuban-paid
medical travel for host country nationals; and Cuban doctors
working in host country?
ANSWER: About a dozen T&T students are studying medecine in
Cuba with GOC support, and seventy Cuban doctors have been
serving in Trinidad & Tobago under a GOTT-GOC arrangement;
Prime Minister Manning has told us he does not want to expand
this cooperation. In October PM Manning publicly announced
plans to draw on Cuban "expertise" in organic farming for two
of ten planned large-scale farms intended to stimulate
domestic agricultural production.
4. (C) QUESTION: Has the host country, in Post's opinion,
worked to promote the advancement of democracy and human
rights in Cuba?
ANSWER: Post is not aware of any GOTT initiatives in support
of promoting democracy and human rights in Cuba.
5. (C) QUESTION: Have there been any high-level diplomatic
visits between Cuba and host country in the past six months?
ANSWER: There have been no high-level diplomatic exchanges
beween Cuba and Trinidad & Tobago in the past six months.
However, in early December the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
added Cuba to a list of countries where new T&T embassies are
to be established.
6. (C) Post believes it is in the U.S. national interest to
suspend Title III of the Libertad Act for Trinidad & Tobago,
based on T&T's contribution to U.S. energy security as a
reliable supplier of oil and gas and its importance as an
economic leader in the eastern Caribbean.
AUSTIN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CCA AND WHA/CAR
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2016
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU TD
SUBJECT: TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - LIBERTAD ACT TITLE III REVIEW
REF: A. STATE 191752
B. PORT OF SPAIN 501
Classified By: DCM Eugene Sweeney, reasons 1.4 (b/d)
Ref: (A) State 191752, (B) Port of Spain 501
(U) This message responds to reftel questions.
1. (C) QUESTION: What is the nature of investments that host
country businesses have in Cuba?
ANSWER: Post is aware of no Trinidad & Tobago companies or
individuals with significant presence or investments in Cuba.
2. (C) QUESTION: Are there any bilateral trade agreements
between host country and Cuba?
ANSWER: Trinidad & Tobago does not have a bilateral trade
agreement with Cuba, but as a member of CARICOM, T&T has
ratified the trade agreement between CARICOM and Cuba. This
year the GOTT established a trade office in Cuba, to serve as
a conduit between T&T manufacturers and Cuban state companies.
3. (C) QUESTION: Are there any exchange programs between host
country and Cuba, including but not limited to: scholarships
for host country nationals to study in Cuba; Cuban-paid
medical travel for host country nationals; and Cuban doctors
working in host country?
ANSWER: About a dozen T&T students are studying medecine in
Cuba with GOC support, and seventy Cuban doctors have been
serving in Trinidad & Tobago under a GOTT-GOC arrangement;
Prime Minister Manning has told us he does not want to expand
this cooperation. In October PM Manning publicly announced
plans to draw on Cuban "expertise" in organic farming for two
of ten planned large-scale farms intended to stimulate
domestic agricultural production.
4. (C) QUESTION: Has the host country, in Post's opinion,
worked to promote the advancement of democracy and human
rights in Cuba?
ANSWER: Post is not aware of any GOTT initiatives in support
of promoting democracy and human rights in Cuba.
5. (C) QUESTION: Have there been any high-level diplomatic
visits between Cuba and host country in the past six months?
ANSWER: There have been no high-level diplomatic exchanges
beween Cuba and Trinidad & Tobago in the past six months.
However, in early December the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
added Cuba to a list of countries where new T&T embassies are
to be established.
6. (C) Post believes it is in the U.S. national interest to
suspend Title III of the Libertad Act for Trinidad & Tobago,
based on T&T's contribution to U.S. energy security as a
reliable supplier of oil and gas and its importance as an
economic leader in the eastern Caribbean.
AUSTIN