BAHAMAS REVIEW FOR TITLE III SUSPENSION OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L NASSAU 000630

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2017
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU BF
SUBJECT: BAHAMAS REVIEW FOR TITLE III SUSPENSION OF
LIBERTAD ACT

REF: STATE 65523

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i. D. Brent Hardt for reasons 1.4(b
) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Post recommends waiver of the provisions of
Title III of the Libertad Act for The Bahamas. The Bahamas
has had a cordial relationship with Cuba, has supported Cuba
in international fora, and has engaged in both cultural and
economic exchanges with Cuba, including promotion of Cuban
trade. The Bahamian government in place prior to May 2
elections justified its relationship as a pragmatic policy
needed to address bilateral migration issues, provide support
to Bahamian travelers, and address issues of common concern
with a nation on their maritime border. The Bahamian
government claimed to advocate human rights and democracy
concerns to Cuba privately, and did so publicly though
indirectly at the Non-Aligned Movement meeting in Havana in
September. The new Bahamian government under Prime Minister
Hubert Ingraham has indicated that it might downgrade
relations with Cuba from a full Embassy to a Consulate, and
is likely to take a more skeptical line toward Cuba than the
previous PLP government. The extremely close bilateral
cooperation between The Bahamas and the U.S. in drug
interdiction, alien interdiction, anti-terrorism and border
security merits a waiver of the provisions of the Libertad
Act. END SUMMARY.

Bahamas-Cuba Diplomatic Relations
--------------


2. (C) The Governments of The Bahamas and Cuba have
maintained cordial relations. However, there have been no
known high-level diplomatic visits between Cuba and The
Bahamas in the past six months. The Bahamas justifies the
need for its relations by citing the need to provide consular
services, to address bilateral migration issues, and to
promote trade and travel. The Bahamian government has also
noted the need for close relations to avoid the kind of event
that occurred in 1980 when Cuba sank a Bahamian Defense Force
vessel, killing several Bahamian sailors. Like the U.S., the
Bahamian government works with Cuba to combat drug
trafficking. Cuban authorities recently shot and killed two
Bahamian drug traffickers who had entered Cuban waters. The
Government of Cuba maintains an embassy in Nassau.


3. (C) Illegal migration to The Bahamas from Haiti and Cuba
is one of the country's biggest political issues. Illegal
Cuban migrants interdicted in Bahamian waters are detained in
Nassau, and the repatriation process is lengthy and
expensive. There are sometimes international issues
surrounding the presence of Cuban migrants in The Bahamas,
and the GCOB sees a pragmatic need to maintain a relationship
with Cuba to manage repatriation and any concomitant
international complications.

Business and Cultural Exchanges
--------------


4. (C) Direct Bahamian investment in Cuba is minimal given
The Bahamas' exchange controls, limited scope for
international investment among Bahamian businesses, and the
country's economic dependence on the United States. Third
country investment in Cuba via Bahamian financial
institutions is likely, but unknown. According to the GCOB,
The Bahamas imported $1.6 million in Cuban goods in 2005,
with few to no exports. There are currently no bilateral
trade agreements in force.


5. (C) There is a Havantur office in Nassau and Cuban de
Aviacion offers direct flights to Havana from Nassau.
According to the GCOB, approximately 20,000 Bahamians visit
Cuba each year. There are approximately 150 Bahamian
students studying in Cuba on scholarship, and the Bahamas
uses at least 14 Cuban teachers in the Bahamian school system
as part of an educational exchange. Other Cuban teachers
also work closely with the GCOB, particularly in the area of
special education. Approximately 600 Bahamians received
Cuban-paid health care in Cuba last year. An unknown number
of Cuban doctors work in The Bahamas to provide thousands of
Bahamians with health care. Last year Cuban doctors provided
approximately 1,750 eye exams to Bahamians in The Bahamas.


Bahamian Support for Human Rights
--------------


6. (C) The Bahamas has worked to promote the advancement of
democracy and human rights in Cuba, though more could be
done. At the NAM summit in Havana in September 2006, The
Bahamian Foreign Minister made a strong statement in support
of democracy and the importance of people choosing their own
representatives. This statement, in the context of a meeting
led by Cuba in Havana, supports Bahamian government claims
that it privately raises human rights concerns in its
meetings with Cuban government officials. However, The
Bahamas has in the past typically voted as a block with
CARICOM and the NAM in international fora and has opposed the
U.S. embargo of Cuba. A new Bahamian Government took power
following May 2 elections, promising to downgrade Bahamian
relations with Cuba and support human rights in international
fora.

Recommendation for Waiver
--------------


7. (C) In light of the extremely close on-going bilateral
cooperation between the U.S. and The Bahamas in drug
interdiction, alien interdiction, anti-terrorism, and border
security matters, and in light of the new government's more
skeptical approach to relations with cuba, Post believes The
Bahamas should continue to be granted a waiver from
implementation of Title III of the Libertad Act.
HARDT