Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LISBON2500
2007-09-25 15:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Lisbon
Cable title:  

EU-CUBA MEETING IN NEW YORK: "USUAL STUFF" AND A

Tags:  PREL UNGA PGOV EU PO CU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7242
RR RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHLI #2500 2681523
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 251523Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY LISBON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6301
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0040
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1492
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 002500 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2017
TAGS: PREL UNGA PGOV EU PO CU
SUBJECT: EU-CUBA MEETING IN NEW YORK: "USUAL STUFF" AND A
PROMISE TO MEET AGAIN

Classified By: Classified By: DCM David Ballard, Reasons 1.4 (B,D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 002500

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2017
TAGS: PREL UNGA PGOV EU PO CU
SUBJECT: EU-CUBA MEETING IN NEW YORK: "USUAL STUFF" AND A
PROMISE TO MEET AGAIN

Classified By: Classified By: DCM David Ballard, Reasons 1.4 (B,D)


1. ( C ) Summary: Paulo Lourenco, diplomatic advisor to
Portuguese FM Amado, called DCM to provide a readout of
September 24 meeting in New York between the EU and Cuba.
Meeting was described as "the usual stuff," with both sides
listening and explaining impediments to engagement, but no
resolution achieved. The meeting ended with a promise to set
up a more formal meeting during the Slovenian EU presidency.
End Summary


2. (C) Paulo Lourenco, Portuguese FM Amado,s diplomatic
advisor, called DCM September 25 to provide a promised
readout of the September 24 meeting in New York between EU
and Cuban delegations. Lourenco did not attend the meeting
and spoke from notes. The EU side consisted of FM Amado,
representing the Presidency of the European Council, an
unnamed representative of Javier Solana (Brussels reports
that it was Political Director Robert Cooper),and Louis
Michel, EU Development Commissioner. The Cuban side was FM
Perez Roque and two or three other unnamed officials.

No Surprises
--------------


3. (C) Laurenco said the meeting started with the Cuban side
giving its &usual speech,8 and that what they had to say
contained &no surprises.8 FM Perez Roque spoke of his
country being &under siege8 but nonetheless eager to
&remove the obstacles8 to better relations with the EU.
Amado agreed that that was the purpose of the meeting and
Louis Michel highlighted areas of potential cooperation,
including trade, natural disasters, and &international
cooperation.8 Michel said that while these are areas in
which both sides might move ahead, the EU also needed to be
able to discuss human rights issues with Cuba.

Here,s Why We Can,t Just Get Along
--------------


4. (C) Perez Roque seized the opportunity to list Cuba,s
three primary grievances with the EU: 1) The 2003 sanctions,
although suspended, should be lifted permanently; 2)
Continued dissatisfaction with the EU &common position8 on
Cuba; 3) Unhappiness with the last paragraph of the
Trans-Atlantic Summit statement criticizing the human rights
situation in Cuba. If these three things are taken care of,
Cuba could envisage a constructive relationship with the EU.
Amado then asked if Perez Roque understood the basis of the
EU,s ongoing reservations about a better relationship, and
suggested that Cuba needed to think about what those
reservations are. The Cuban Foreign Minister asked for an
explanation. Amado said that the EU,s concerns were
primarily related to political prisoners and other human
rights issues and asked if Cuba was ready to discuss these
concerns. Perez Roque's immediate response was, &Can we
also discuss secret CIA flights and prisons?8 At that
point, according to Lourenco, the conversation was
essentially over.


5. (C) The meeting ended with both sides agreeing to meet
again more &formally8 during the upcoming Slovenian EU
presidency.


6. (C) Comment: We doubt if this is just an example of the
Portuguese telling us what we want to hear. They have
consistently told us that they favor engagement with Cuba but
that such engagement must absolutely have as a key component
formal discussion of democracy and human rights in Cuba.
Amado and company appear to have kept up the pressure in that
regard. The lack of any resolution was in keeping with the
low expectations the Portuguese had for the meeting.
Hoffman