CUBA FORMALLY COMPLAINS RE NGO REP'S VISA REFUSAL

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000371 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR IO/UNP - S. EDMONDSON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OFDP CVIS UN CU SUBJECT: CUBA FORMALLY COMPLAINS RE NGO REP'S VISA REFUSAL ¶1. Action request - see paragraph 3. ¶2. Cuba's UN Mission Permrep, Amb. Rodrigo Malmierca, has sent a Note Verbale (text in paragraph 5 below) to USUN Host Country Affairs expressing concern for the USG's decision to deny a visa to Mrs. Fabiola Mora (DPOB 31Jan1953, Cuba),a representative of the Cuban NGO Union Nacional de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba (National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba, UNEAC),which prevented her from participating in the 51st Session of the Commission on the Status of Women held in NY at UN HQ February 26-March 9, 2007. The Cuban Permrep sent a copy of the Note Verbale under a cover letter (text in para 4 below) to the Chair of the UN Committee on Relations with the Host Country (a/k/a the Host Country Committee), with copies, inter alia, to the Chair of the UN Committee on NGOs and the President of ECOSOC. The Cuban Permrep asks the Chair of the Host Country Committee that the letter and the text of the Note Verbale be distributed as an official document of the Host Country Committee. ¶3. Action Request - USUN seeks Department's guidance for U.S. reply to the Cuban Mission's Note Verbale, which USUN will ask to circulate as an official document of the Host Country Committee. ¶4. Begin Text of May 9, 2007 Cuban Mission Note Verbale-- The Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations presents its compliments to the United States Permanent Mission to the United Nations and has the honor to refer to the Host Country authorities' decision to deny a visa to a representative of the Cuban NGO Union Nacional de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba (National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba, UNEAC), preventing her from participating in the 51st Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, held from February 26 to March 9, 2007. The Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations would like to point out that UNEAC has consultative status to ECOSOC, and its representatives have actively participated in other sessions of the aforementioned Commission. The National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba on the situation and further requested it to denounce the event through the Cuban Mission to the United Nations and to express its deepest concern for the Host Country authorities' arbitrary and unjustified denial of UNEAC's visa to participate in the 51 Session of the Commission on the Status of Woman. This time Mrs. Fabiola Mora, from UNEAC's Department of International Relations, attended an interview and made the corresponding payment for this visa at the United States Interests Section to Cuba. Later on, on 26 February 2007, the aforesaid Interest Section informed her that she was authorized to enter the United States territory, but she was alerted that she wouldn't be able to participate in the meeting. Finally, she received a document denying her visa, allegedly because her presence in the United States territory was detrimental to the national interests. Such events contravene the Host Country's obligations contained in the Host Country Agreement and further contradict the provisions of resolution 1996/31 of ECOSOC. The aforementioned practice handicap the Cuban NGOs before the rest of the NGOs community to contribute to the work of the United Nations organs. The Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations urges once again the Host Country to reconsider its position with regard to the issues pointed out, in accordance with the general principles of international law of equality and non-discrimination. The Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the United States Permanent Mission to the United Nations the assurances of its highest consideration. End text. ¶5. Begin Text of May 10, 2007 Cuban Mission Permrep cover letter to Chair of Host Country Committee - I have the honor to address you in your capacity as Chairman of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country, attaching a Note Verbale No. 2017, dated May 9, 2007, addressed to the United States Mission to the United Nations by the Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations, E expressing our concern for the Host Country authorities' decision to deny a visa to a representative of the Cuban NGO Union Nacional de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba (National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba, UNEAC),preventing her from participating in the 51 Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, held from February 26 to March 9, 2007. I would appreciate that you distribute this letter and text of the attached Note Verbale as an official document of the Committee on Relations with Host Country. End text. KHALILZAD