DEMARCHING EU STATES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ACTION ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 003269 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/2017 TAGS: PHUM EUN SUBJECT: DEMARCHING EU STATES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ACTION ON CUBA REF: SECSTATE 147620 Classified By: A/Political Minister Counselor Alyce Tidball for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) PolOff and A/Political Minister Counselor presented talking points from reftel to Claudia Gintersdorfer from the Human Rights Unit at the Council, Davide Zaru from the Human Rights Unit of the External Relations Directorate (RELEX) at the European Commission, and Nicolas Pascual de la Parte, Head of the Latin American Task Force in the Council,s Policy Unit. The EU officials examined the proposals, expressed their appreciation for the USG decision not to run a Cuba resolution at the HRC or the UNGA Third Committee, and said that the issue would be discussed at the upcoming Latin American Working Group (COLAT) meeting on November 7. ¶2. (C) Pascual de la Parte explained that Cuba was at the top of the agenda for the upcoming COLAT, and urged the USG to lobby Member States (MS) directly in capitals. A handful of the larger EU Member States supporting reftel proposals could possibly move the Council. Otherwise, Spain and outspoken members of the Council Secretariat - neither sympathetic to the USG position - will continue to set policy and the MS will follow suit. ¶3. (C) Reviewing the proposals, Pascual de la Parte agreed with 'about 90%' of what the USG proposed, especially the suggestion to involve the UN SYG. He said organizing a transatlantic meeting for family members of political prisoners might prove logistically difficult. ¶4. (C) On the annual embargo resolution, Pascual de la Parte said the EU continues to be tied to its formal opinion that it violates international law. He also mentioned that the Cubans, who somehow get details of discussions within the COLAT in real time, did not seem to be aware of the USG plans to offer no amendments this year. MURRAY .