Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06THEHAGUE2566
2006-12-07 12:04:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:
NETHERLANDS/CUBA: LIBERTAD ACT REVIEW
how-toVZCZCXYZ0001 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHTC #2566/01 3411204 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 071204Z DEC 06 FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7622 INFO RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN 4060 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0415 RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 0152 RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN 1048 RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 9108 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 0167 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0628 RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 0299 RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA 0262 RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI 0054 RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON 0381 RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 0141 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ DEC ABUJA 0106 RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON 0495 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1611 RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 0820 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 5014 RUEHMU/AMEMBASSY MANAGUA 0109 RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 0244 RUEHSK/AMEMBASSY MINSK 0133 RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 0271 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 1693 RUEHBH/AMEMBASSY NASSAU 0178 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0551 RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 0665 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 5100 RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA 0267 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1322 RUEHSP/AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN 0347 RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE 1112 RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 0342 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 2058 RUEHSJ/AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE 0205 RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 0160 RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO 0178 RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 4660 RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 2862 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1722 RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 2000 RUEHWD/AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 0073 RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0038
C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002566
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2016
TAGS: PREL ETRD ETTC CU NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/CUBA: LIBERTAD ACT REVIEW
REF: STATE 191752
Classified By: DCM Chat Blakeman; reasons 1.4 (b, d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002566
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2016
TAGS: PREL ETRD ETTC CU NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/CUBA: LIBERTAD ACT REVIEW
REF: STATE 191752
Classified By: DCM Chat Blakeman; reasons 1.4 (b, d).
1. (C) Summary: Dutch investments in Cuba are minimal, and
post is aware of no bilateral trade agreements between the
Cuban and Dutch governments. Post is aware of no exchange
programs. The GONL is a leading EU advocate for human
rights, and both the government and Dutch NGOs are active in
promoting human rights in Cuba. Post is aware of no high
level diplomatic visits between Cuba and the Netherlands in
the past six months. End summary.
2. (C) The GONL considers questions related to implementation
of the Libertad Act a European Union matter. It prefers to
allow the EU to issue a common response to our questions.
The GONL shares, however, our interest in promoting democracy
and human rights in Cuba. Moreover, the Netherlands has been
extremely useful in promoting a more robust European Union
engagement in Latin America.
Dutch investment in Cuba minimal
--------------
3. (SBU) Dutch investment in Cuba remains minimal. Demex
Shipyards, which operates a facility in Santiago (El Nispero
Shipyard),is the largest Dutch business interest. UK-Dutch
consumer products company Unilever maintains a sales office.
4. (SBU) The large Netherlands-based bank, ING, operates a
joint venture in Curacao with two Cuban based companies. The
joint venture is the Curacao-based Netherlands Caribbean Bank
N.V. (NCB). On the basis that NCB is "substantially" owned
by Cuban entities, Treasury's Office of Foreign Asset Control
(OFAC) recently blacklisted it. Dutch press have reported
that an ING office in the U.S. had transferred money, through
NCB's Curacao branch, to NCB's Havana branch. These press
reports also said that ING's U.S. office may be subject to
fines for these actions. ING is investigating the matter
internally.
5. (SBU) Post is not aware of any bilateral trade agreements
between Cuba and the Netherlands.
Exchange programs: None
--------------
6. (SBU) Post is aware of no exchange programs between the
Netherlands and Cuba.
Dutch actively promote democracy and human rights in Cuba
-------------- --------------
7. (C) The Netherlands actively promotes a common EU position
in Cuba, with the long-term goal of democratic change. The
Dutch are closely following developments in Cuba, and are
anxious to coordinate with the U.S. on transition planning.
Senior MFA officials have acknowledged that the EU policy of
engagement has failed.
8. (SBU) Several Dutch NGOs (or Dutch braches of NGOs)
continue to focus public attention on human rights in Cuba,
including Pax Christi, HIVOS, NOVIB and Cuba Futuro.
No high level diplomatic visits
--------------
9. (SBU) Post is not aware of any high level diplomatic
visits between Cuba and The Netherlands in the past six
months.
ARNALL
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2016
TAGS: PREL ETRD ETTC CU NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/CUBA: LIBERTAD ACT REVIEW
REF: STATE 191752
Classified By: DCM Chat Blakeman; reasons 1.4 (b, d).
1. (C) Summary: Dutch investments in Cuba are minimal, and
post is aware of no bilateral trade agreements between the
Cuban and Dutch governments. Post is aware of no exchange
programs. The GONL is a leading EU advocate for human
rights, and both the government and Dutch NGOs are active in
promoting human rights in Cuba. Post is aware of no high
level diplomatic visits between Cuba and the Netherlands in
the past six months. End summary.
2. (C) The GONL considers questions related to implementation
of the Libertad Act a European Union matter. It prefers to
allow the EU to issue a common response to our questions.
The GONL shares, however, our interest in promoting democracy
and human rights in Cuba. Moreover, the Netherlands has been
extremely useful in promoting a more robust European Union
engagement in Latin America.
Dutch investment in Cuba minimal
--------------
3. (SBU) Dutch investment in Cuba remains minimal. Demex
Shipyards, which operates a facility in Santiago (El Nispero
Shipyard),is the largest Dutch business interest. UK-Dutch
consumer products company Unilever maintains a sales office.
4. (SBU) The large Netherlands-based bank, ING, operates a
joint venture in Curacao with two Cuban based companies. The
joint venture is the Curacao-based Netherlands Caribbean Bank
N.V. (NCB). On the basis that NCB is "substantially" owned
by Cuban entities, Treasury's Office of Foreign Asset Control
(OFAC) recently blacklisted it. Dutch press have reported
that an ING office in the U.S. had transferred money, through
NCB's Curacao branch, to NCB's Havana branch. These press
reports also said that ING's U.S. office may be subject to
fines for these actions. ING is investigating the matter
internally.
5. (SBU) Post is not aware of any bilateral trade agreements
between Cuba and the Netherlands.
Exchange programs: None
--------------
6. (SBU) Post is aware of no exchange programs between the
Netherlands and Cuba.
Dutch actively promote democracy and human rights in Cuba
-------------- --------------
7. (C) The Netherlands actively promotes a common EU position
in Cuba, with the long-term goal of democratic change. The
Dutch are closely following developments in Cuba, and are
anxious to coordinate with the U.S. on transition planning.
Senior MFA officials have acknowledged that the EU policy of
engagement has failed.
8. (SBU) Several Dutch NGOs (or Dutch braches of NGOs)
continue to focus public attention on human rights in Cuba,
including Pax Christi, HIVOS, NOVIB and Cuba Futuro.
No high level diplomatic visits
--------------
9. (SBU) Post is not aware of any high level diplomatic
visits between Cuba and The Netherlands in the past six
months.
ARNALL