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
.