DEMARCHING EU STATES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ACTION ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 147620

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2017
TAGS: CU UNGA PHUM
SUBJECT: DEMARCHING EU STATES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ACTION ON
CUBA

Classified By: Assistant Secretary Kristen Silverberg,
reasons 1.4 b and d


1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 4.


2. (C) For the first time in seven years, there is no
specific mandate on human rights in Cuba in the United
Nations human rights machinery. While the Department and NSC
have discussed numerous options for running a Cuba resolution
at the UN Third Committee to shine the spotlight on the Cuban
regime's abysmal human rights record, Department has chosen
instead to use our decision not to run a resolution as an
opportunity to urge the EU and/or individual EU member states
to partner with the U.S. in pressing the Cuban regime for
real change. In addition, the EU continues to support a
Cuba-sponsored Embargo resolution at the UNGA which holds the
U.S. solely responsible for Cuba's economic hardships. This
year the U.S. does not plan to support amendments to the
annual Cuba embargo resolution. We urge the EU to drop its
support for this resolution.


3. (C) The EU itself renewed its 1996 Common Position in
June, with a General Affairs and External Relations statement
that deplored the human rights situation in Cuba; urged the
GOC to unconditionally release all political prisoners;
called on the GOC to grant freedom of information; reaffirmed
its support for civil society and dissidents; and recognized
the right of Cuban citizens to decide their own future.
Despite the EU's decision to renew the common position, there
remains a contingent within the EU, led by and largely
consisting of Spain, which insists the Cuban regime has
improved its human rights record. A USG effort to work
collaboratively with the EU on Cuba will therefore likely be
met with significant resistance from Spain, and possibly
other member states. We are seeking in this approach to bind
Spain more closely to the EU Common Position - and our
policy.

ACTION REQUEST
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4. (SBU) EU Member State posts and USEU are requested to
draw on the following points to urge respective Foreign
Ministries to balance out the loss of the Cuban Special
Representative at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) and
pursue actions to promote democratic transition in Cuba.

-- We applaud the EU's decision this summer to renew the
Common Position on Cuba. That decision sent a clear message
to Havana that the EU would not turn a blind eye to
repression of the peaceful opposition movement on the island.

-- Nevertheless, the loss of the Cuba Special Representative
during the last HRC has eliminated one of the few tools in
the UN system to monitor human rights in Cuba.

-- The U.S. will not introduce a Cuba resolution at the
current UNGA or call for a vote on the HRC package which
eliminated the Cuba Special Representative. However, we
believe that it is crucial that human rights in Cuba continue
to appear on the UN agenda.

-- Therefore, instead of seeking a U.S.-sponsored resolution
without EU support, we propose the following cooperative
approaches and would be interested in coordinating with the
EU or individual European member states on any or all of them:

-------------- Internal Political Dialogue: Present a joint U.S.-EU
demarche to the Secretary General, asking him and his special
representatives to seek the release of all political
prisoners and offer to establish a dialogue between the GOC
and Cuban civil society, including peaceful dissidents and
the democratic opposition. As a first step, the UN should
establish regular contacts with peaceful dissidents and the
democratic opposition.

-------------- Reporting by Rapporteurs: Present joint U.S.-EU
demarches to the thematic rapporteurs (e.g., arbitrary
detention, torture, freedom of expression, human rights
defenders, and media freedom),urging the rapporteurs to seek
access to and issue reports on Cuba and Cuban government
cooperation with their individual mandates, thereby filling

STATE 00147620 002 OF 002


the void left by the HRC elimination of the Cuba mandate.

-------------- Freedom for Political Prisoners: Organize an event on
the anniversary of the Human Rights Declaration (Dec. 10) to
call on the release of political prisoners in Cuba, jointly
sponsored by the U.S. and the EU, or targeted European
nations. The event may also feature NGO leaders from EU
member states that work on Cuba. The event would feature
family members of political prisoners drawn from the Cuban
Diaspora in the U.S., Sweden, Spain, etc. (Note: Potential
EU co-hosts could include the Czech Republic, Hungary,
Slovakia, Poland, UK, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, the Baltics,
Netherlands and France. End Note). The U.S. is open to EU
views on the best way forward.

-------------- General Assembly Resolution: A Human Rights Day (Dec.
10) resolution honoring and highlighting the work of former
and current political prisoners. The resolution will not be
aimed at or mention a specific country but will focus on the
theme of political prisoners. The resolution will call for
creation of a new rapporteur to report on the situation of
political prisoners around the world. (Note: Specific draft
text will be sent septel or via email. End Note.)

REPORTING DEADLINE
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5. (U) Posts are requested to use the SIPDIS caption and
report the results of this demarche by October 31, 2007.
RICE