ICELAND: AGREE ON CUBAN HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION, DISAGREE ON

UNCLAS REYKJAVIK 000306 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR IO/UNP JOHN MARIZ ALSO FOR EUR/NB, DRL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: UNGA ETRD PHUM PREL CU IC SUBJECT: ICELAND: AGREE ON CUBAN HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION, DISAGREE ON EMBARGO AS A MEANS FOR CHANGE REF: STATE 148506 ¶1. (SBU) Pol Chief passed reftel points as well as President Bush's Oct. 24 remarks and the White House fact sheet on Cuba policy to the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs on 25 October. MFA Minister-Counsellor for International Organization Affairs Nikulas Hannigan was appreciative of the additional information regarding new USG initiatives to support democracy activists in Cuba. ¶2. (SBU) With regard to the Cuban-sponsored UN General Assembly resolution against the U.S. embargo, Hannigan noted that this is one area in which the U.S. and Iceland have traditionally disagreed. While the Government of Iceland shares U.S. concern for the human rights situation in Cuba -- and will strongly consider submitting an explanation of vote expressing same -- it disagrees with the embargo as a good tactic for achieving progress in Cuba. As a result, the MFA sees little reason to alter its historical pattern of voting for the resolution. VAN VOORST