NETHERLANDS/CUBA: KEEPING FOCUS ON HUMAN RIGHTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 000777 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/FO (C. MCCARRY) E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2017 TAGS: PREL PHUM CU VE NL SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/CUBA: KEEPING FOCUS ON HUMAN RIGHTS REF: STATE 53623 Classified By: CDA Chat Blakeman; reasons 1.4 (b and d). ¶1. (C) Summary: The Dutch say EU divisions on Cuba policy are as pronounced as they have ever been. The GONL would like to re-establish an EU consensus but wants concrete human rights progress to be a pre-condition for any softening of EU relations with Cuba. The Dutch continue to encourage the U.S. to explore options for dialogue with Cuba's "emerging" new leadership and to advocate for the repeal of Helms-Burton's extraterritorial provisions. End summary. ¶2. (U) CDA and poloff met April 24 and 25 with MFA Director of the Americas Department, Laurent Stokvis, Central America and Caribbean Division Head Peter van de Geer, and Cuba policy officer Jan Jaap Groenemijer. ¶3. (C) Stokvis said the Dutch want the EU to keep a focus on human rights in Cuba. He said that, although Spanish FM Moratinos had not yet briefed the European Council on his April 1-3 visit to Havana, preliminary results from the trip were not impressive. Groenemijer added that divisions within the EU on Cuba are as bad as they have ever been and said he expects that the debate will remain extremely difficult until the June EU summit. The language of the Common Position will not change, but consensus on its meaning could evaporate. ¶4. (C) Stokvis emphasized that the Netherlands wishes to re-establish an EU consensus. The Netherlands "would prefer," he said, that the Cuban government take concrete human rights steps before the EU offers tokens of goodwill. He noted that the suspension of the EU's restrictive measures in January 2005 had not resulted in any progress by the Cuban government. If the Cuban government does move, though, he would be ready for a broad-based, albeit incremental, opening in EU-Cuba relations. ¶5. (C) Stokvis welcomed the May 8 visit of Cuba Transition Coordinator Caleb McCarry, saying he hoped to have a very open, exploratory discussion. He is interested in U.S. views on the strength of the Cuban opposition, the likelihood of change from within, possibilities for U.S.-Cuban dialogue, Helms-Burton, and the evolving Venezuelan-Cuban relationship. BLAKEMAN