NO EU UNITY GOING INTO REVIEW OF COMMON POSITION

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2017
TAGS: PREL PHUM EAID EUN BR CU
SUBJECT: NO EU UNITY GOING INTO REVIEW OF COMMON POSITION
ON CUBA


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Classified By: Political Officer Vincent Carver for reasons 1.5 (B/D).

SUMMARY
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1. (C/NF) EU and member state officials told visiting WHA
DAS Madison and Cuba Coordinator McCarry May 2-3 that the EU
has not yet reached consensus on what parts of its Common
Position on Cuba will be renewed in June. Contacts agreed on
the need for Cubans to decide their future with encouragement
from the international community. The EU appears split,
however, regarding what strategy to use regarding Cuba.
Several EU and member state contacts confirmed to DAS Madison
and Coordinator McCarry that Spain, with support from the
German MFA, France, and Italy want to drop the suspended
sanctions when renewing the EU's Common Position on Cuba in
June. Poland, the Czech Republic, and to a lesser extent,
Hungary oppose dropping the sanctions. END SUMMARY


CUBANS PLAYING ON EU LACK OF UNITY
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2. (C/NF) Karl Buck, Council Secretariat Latin America Unit
Head, noted that discussions over renewal of the EU's common
position on Cuba is just beginning; in a veiled reference to
Spanish FM Moratinos' visit and a not-so-veiled criticism of
Czech positions, he lamented the potential "loss" of EU unity
regarding Cuba and therefore a decrease of EU credibility in
Cuba. Madison and McCarry stressed that the GOC seeks to
create division among EU member states and divide the EU and
the U.S. They underscored that a united IC stand on human
rights and the release of all political prisoners on the
island, as well as continued engagement of Cuba's democratic
opposition, is critical.

EU WORKING GROUP ON LATIN AMERICA:
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3. (C) The German Presidency hosted a Latin America Working
Group (COLAT) session (21 member state representatives
attended) which Madison and McCarry addressed. Madison and
McCarry noted that repression in Cuba has increased in the
past several months, is broad based, particularly targets the
young, and appears more systematic. Castro, while
incapacitated, continues to remain a strong factor in the
minds of both Cuban authorities and the opposition. They
underscored that the U.S. wants to work with the EU and other
partners, including Brazil, to support a sovereign and
democratic Cuba that is reintegrated in the Western
Hemisphere. More specifically, they emphasized that USG
seeks to think creatively with partners on how to push for
the release of all political prisoners in Cuba and to create
the space necessary for a genuine dialogue on the island.
This process, they added, should be directed by the Cuban
people.


4. (C) In a discussion of the current situation in Cuba,
several member state representatives made interventions
regarding the Cuban economy, role of the military, and
promotion of human rights. The Spanish rep outlined the
"results" of FM Moratinos' visit and noted that there "is a
will for change" in Cuba and for "progress toward
normalization of relations with the EU." The Commission rep
observed that Commission assistance projects to Cuba have
largely ceased to operate as a result of Havana's decision to
reject Commission funding -- a decision he characterized as
the GOC's response to EU criticism of the regime.


5. (C) DAS Madison highlighted Cuba's efforts to create
division within the EU and between the EU and the USG. To
address some Cuban efforts to create division by working
through third parties, the USG informed CUBINT that should
they have something to say to the USG, they should do so
through the Interests Section channel. She underscored that
countries should be mindful of Cuban nationalism and noted
that the Unity for Freedom statement from the democratic
opposition states that they do not believe that their human
rights or their future should be subject to the state of
their government's relations or negotiations with another
government. She underscored that the opposition was feeling
particularly vulnerable at this time and that engaging them
directly would continue to be essential.


6. (C) Nicolas Pascual de la Parte, Council Secretariat
Policy Unit Head for Latin America, opined that neither the
U.S. embargo nor the EU's critical dialogue with Cuba has
brought desired results. No one, he added, knows what the
rapid changes -- which the Cubans interpret as changes within
the regime -- on the island truly mean. He agreed with

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SUBJECT: NO EU UNITY GOING INTO REVIEW OF COMMON POSITION
ON CUBA
Madison and McCarry that it is up to the Cuban themselves to
determine their path to democrcy. He also agreed that the
opposition's "Unity for Freedom" document is "of utmost
importance." A united opposition will be the main factor
generating change in Cuba, "and we should support it," he
stressed.


7. (C) Madison and McCarry noted the U.S.-EU Summit language
on Cuba, emphasizing the role of the international community
in supporting the peaceful, democratic opposition in Cuba.
Several member state reps, including the Dutch rep, reviewed
potential technical support, with the Hungarian rep stressing
that Budapest is "ready to actively share" Hungary's
transition experiences and the Polish rep saying Warsaw
"totally shares your (U.S.) evaluation" of the situation.
The German Presidency observed that, while the EU and the
U.S. may take different approaches at times regarding Cuba,
we share a common goal -- helping the Cubans establish a
democratic and free system. "It should be possible to
support each other and work together," she concluded. The
discussion with EU COLAT representatives continued with a
smaller group over lunch hosted by USEU, with Pascual de la
Parte expressing frustration that the EU has been unable to
get Latin American countries to take common positions with
Brussels on Cuba and many other issues. According to Pascual
de la Parte, Mexico and several other Latin American states
hesitate to criticize Havana in order not to provoke leftist
parties in their own countries.

BUT WATCH THE SPANISH ... AND THE GERMANS
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8. (C/NF) In a separate meeting May 2, Pascual de la Parte
told Madison and McCarry that Spain is pushing to lift the
political "sanctions" (technically suspended) from the EU's
Common Position. According to Pascual de la Parte, the
Spanish and Germans may have struck a gentlemen's agreement:
Madrid accepted the U.S.-EU Summit language on Cuba and in
return, would obtain German support for lifting the political
sanctions. He added that the German MFA appears to support
this move. The German Chancellery has not yet gotten
involved. Pascual de la Parte added that Spain is supported
by France, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus. Poland, the Czech
Republic, and to a slightly lesser extent, Hungary firmly
oppose softening the Common Position. The UK and the
Netherlands are undecided. Pascual de la Parte agreed with
Madison and McCarry that lifting the suspended sanctions now
would send the wrong signal to both the Cuban Government and
the Cuban opposition, and would create a rift between the EU
and the U.S. when closer coordination was critical. Madison
and McCarry noted that it would be de facto legitimization of
an unelected successor government.

COMMISSION: CONFIRMING THE SPLIT
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9. (C/NF) Madison and McCarry also outlined U.S. views to
Commission Director for Latin America Tomas Dupla del Moral
and Desk Officer Javier Nino Perez, The Commission officials
complained about their lack of activities and sources of
information in Cuba, given the GOC's restrictions on
Commission funding and movement, calling this an "untenable
situation." They confirmed Pascual de la Parte's observation
that there are two camps forming in the run-up to debate over
the EU's Common Position -- those member states who want to
lift the suspended sanctions, and those who oppose such a
move. Dupla del Moral said that the Commission is searching
for an opening in Cuba and lifting the sanctions might be one
(but not the only) instrument for ultimately showing support
to the opposition. Madison and McCarry strongly disagreed,
emphasizing that lifting the suspended sanctions now would
send the wrong message, hurt and demoralize the opposition,
and provide the Cuban regime a political boost.

INCOMING PORTUGUESE PRESIDENCY: WISHING THE ISSUE WOULD "GO
AWAY"
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10. (C/NF) Madison and McCarry outlined U.S. policies and
views May 3 to the Political and Security Committee (PSC)
ambassadors of Portugal (incoming President) and Slovenia
(President Jan.-June 2008). In yet another indication that
the incoming Portuguese Presidency may be a weak follow-on to
the German Presidency, Portuguese PSC Ambassador Durrant Pais
told Madison and McCarry May 3 that, "We were rather
optimistic that Cuba would go away." With a debate beginning
over the Common Policy, this may not be the case. Durrant
Pais characterized Moratinos' visit as "controversial," but
added that Spain had demonstrated flexibility in agreeing to

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the U.S.-EU Summit language on Cuba. Slovenian PSC
Ambassador Ipavic stressed the need for the EU and for the EU
and U.S. to maintain a united position on Cuba.

CENTAL EUROPEANS AND BRITS: MORE SUPPORTIVE OF U.S. VIEWS
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11. (C/NF) In a separate meeting, the Czech and Polish PSC
ambassadors and UKEU Mission reps told McCarry that their
countries support renewing the Common Position. The Pole,
noting that the U.S.-EU Summit language on Cuba was "highly
controversial" for some member states, said Warsaw
nevertheless sought EU-U.S. convergence on Cuba. UK reps said
there was general agreement within the EU for a twin-track
approach, promoting discussions with both the government and
the opposition. For its part, the UK would like to see a
dialogue between Cuba and the EU, including on human rights.
The Lithuanian PSC Ambassador noted parallels between Cuba
and Belarus. The Czech Ambassador said Prague is willing to
propose even tougher language in the Common Position and
would welcome U.S. advice. He predicted "an intensive, not
easy debate" in the run-up to the EU's June decision,
stressing that, "Only one country is enough to (block
consensus and) drop the sanctions. This would be quite a
nightmare." McCarry reviewed U.S. policies and underscored
that dropping the sanctions would send the wrong signal at
the wrong time and would play into the Cuban regime's hands.



12. (SBU) Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) Development Policy
Director Peter Koeppinger outlined a report by several
European NGOs supported by KAS, in which the NGOs recommended
that the EU take concrete measures to pressure Havana on
human rights and democracy. The report also called for
further EU support for civil society in Cuba and for the EU
to work with the U.S., the UN, and Latin American states on a
common approach to Cuba. Madison and McCarry welcomed the
report's call for concrete actions and made suggestions on
ways to drive the recommendations into the EU process, where
interlocutors were clearly looking for ideas on next steps.


13. (C/NF) In the run-up to the European Council in June,
USEU will closely monitor and lobby member state
representatives to maintain the EU's Common Position without
dropping the suspended sanctions.


14. (U) DAS Madison and Coordinator McCarry have cleared this
message. Their meeting with Belgian MFA reps reported septel.
MCKINLEY
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