CANADA'S RESPONSE TO INTERNET FREEDOM RESTRICTIONS IN CUBA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 001359 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CCA, WHA/CAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EINT PREL ECON TINT CU CA XL XG SUBJECT: CANADA'S RESPONSE TO INTERNET FREEDOM RESTRICTIONS IN CUBA REF: STATE 89911 OTTAWA 00001359 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. Summary: Embassy Ottawa delivered information regarding the lack of internet freedom in Cuba to Foreign Affairs Canada's Cuba desk on July 6. Canadian officials expressed concern for Cubans' lack of internet access and reassured us that they place no credibility in Cuban claims that this is due to USG sanctions. DFAIT officials were intrigued by the scope and scale of the USINT internet effort and promised to consider whether and how they might emulate our efforts. DFAIT officials also briefly discussed Canada's "two-track" strategy for engagement with Cuba. End summary. ¶2. Emboffs delivered on July 6 reftel information regarding the lack of internet freedom in Cuba to Michael Kaduck, Deputy Director for Cuba, Dominican Republic and the Central American states and Louise Crosby, Cuba Desk Officer at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT). We stated that Cuban government claims that USG sanctions are responsible for the country's restrictive internet laws and low levels of internet accessibility lacked validity. DFAIT officials expressed concern for Cubans' lack of internet access, and dismay at Havana's accusations directed toward the USG and reassured us that they were well aware of the lack of credibility to the claims. DFAIT officials agreed with the USG assessment that poor infrastructure and Cuba's restrictive internet laws are responsible for the lack of unobstructed internet access for Cubans. ¶3. Emboffs suggested to DFAIT officials that the Canadian Embassy in Havana consider offering services similar to those currently provided by USINT Havana, such as internet workstations to allow Cubans access to the internet and long-distance communications without strict monitoring by the Castro regime. DFAIT officials were intrigued by the scope and scale of the USINT internet effort and promised to consider whether and how they might emulate our efforts. DFAIT officials acknowledged the importance of internet access and unrestricted information sharing among Cuban civil society groups and those outside Cuba. The Canadian government views the unimpeded access to technology and information as being instrumental to the development of a strong civil society and functioning democracy. Canada is constantly monitoring the �00A;situation in Cuba and will continue to provide what it deems as an appropriate level of representation and involvement. Kuduck and Crosby did offer the caveat, however, that Canada's diplomatic presence in Cuba is modest (seven Canadian officers) and it was unlikely that there would be a Canadian effort to provide internet access in the very near-term. Canada's "two-track" strategy for engaging Cuba -------------- -- ¶4. Kaduck and Crosby also described Canada's two-track engagement strategy. The GOC is trying to position itself to better facilitate an orderly transition from the Castro regime to a new government and therefore within the last year, Ottawa has taken a somewhat more active stance toward Cuba. It is a "two track" approach, where Canadian officials engage with both the top level of the Cuban government and with a broader swath of the Cuban citizenry, including civil society groups in an attempt to slowly change the mindsets of the population of Cuba, without being seen as interfering in Cuba. Our interlocutors noted the approach needs to be very carefully balanced in order to be accepted by both groups. ¶5. For example, Canada's Deputy Foreign Minister Len Edwards visited Q5. For example, Canada's Deputy Foreign Minister Len Edwards visited Cuba in May 2007 and met with, among others, Cuban First Deputy Foreign Minister Bruno Rodrguez Parrilla. In a statement Edwards noted that both countries recognized the need to continue to deepen trade, investment, and tourism ties. ¶6. To balance these interactions, the GoC also sponsors Canadian speakers to come to Cuba to meet with a broad range of Cuban citizens. For example, the Canadian Embassy in Havana hosted Supreme Court of Canada Justice Michel Bastarache in Cuba from February 23 to 28, 2007. The centerpiece of Justice Bastarache's visit was his speech at the historic "Aula Magna" of the University of Havana, in which he discussed Canada's system of government and the transformative nature of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms on Canadian society. The audience was composed of academics, law students, government officials, Havana-based diplomats and the Cuban media. The Canadian government has also invited eleven Cuban economists later this autumn to attend a forum hosted by Carleton University (in Ottawa) on the Cuban Economy and the potential for a transfer to a market economy. This forum, it is anticipated, will help bring new insights on freedom and market economies to the Cuban public. ¶7. This cable was prepared jointly by ECON Intern Ben Mazer and POL Intern Brittany Breakwell. Dickson OTTAWA 00001359 002.2 OF 002 Official conversations took place on May 25, 2007 in Havana between the First Deputy Ministers of Canada and Cuba, Leonard J. Edwards and Bruno Rodrguez Parrilla. During the meeting, Rodrguez Parrilla said that Cuban-Canadian relations are "an example of exchange between two countries with different systems but similar interests". He also highlighted their common stance on many international situations, and expressed gratitude for Canada's support at the UN General Assembly to the resolution condemning Washington's embargo against the island. For his part, Edwards noted the continuation of bilateral relations despite some differences, and the two countries' capacity to talk sincerely and with "mutual respect" about all topics. Edwards also said this visit was a great opportunity to exchange opinions with Cuban leaders and review the state of bilateral trade relations. "Both parts coincided on the need of continuing deepening trade, investments, tourism and other spheres of cooperation" between the two countries, he reported. On April the 6th, 2006 a big reception was held at the Embassy of Cuba to celebrate the occasion. Officials of the Canadian Government, Members of the Parliament, businessmen, scholars, journalists, friends of Cuba, members of the Cuban community in Canada, and members of the Diplomatic Corpse were among those seen in the celebration. Rafael Dausa, Cuban Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended this important event as part of his one-week official visit to Canada from the 3rd to the 9th of April. The Cuban Ambassador, Ernesto Sent, was in charge of the ceremony opening speech, highlighting the solid links between the two countries in different fields such as tourism, trade, investments, and cooperation and expressed the interest that Cuba has in strengthening the bilateral relations under the conditions of mutual respect and understanding. Speeches were also delivered by important personalities in Canadian politics: Andy Mitchell, Minister of Agriculture; Peter Harder, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Senator Marcel Prudhomme. Minister Andy Mitchell highlighted the excellent results of his recent visit to Cuba and the meeting with the Cuban President, Fidel Castro. He also expressed his satisfaction with the Cuban decision to open again its borders to Canadian cattle imports as well as with the new trading contracts recently signed between the two countries. He also predicted the interest of Canada to widen and increase the commercial and economic links with the Cuban nation. The 60th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations offers a good opportunity to promote better understanding between the people and Governments of the two countries. Canadian authorities have expressed deep concern and strongly protested to Cuban authorities the incarceration and harsh sentencing of 75 Cuban dissidents in March and April 2003. Senior government officials have directly raised concerns about the health and prison conditions of the "75" at meetings with senior Cuban officials. Given the peaceful nature of the dissidents' activities, Canada's position is that the severe restrictions on freedom of expression cannot be justified on the grounds of national security. The Canadian government has therefore requested the release of the imprisoned dissidents, with immediate consideration for those in poor health. The last public statement this government has made about Cuba was last summer (2006),when Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay Qlast summer (2006),when Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay emphasized Canada's "sovereign, independent position vis-a-vis our relations with Cuba." In Novemberm 2006, Canada was among 183 other countries to vote against the U.S. embargo of Cuba at the United Nations General Assembly.