Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BERN273
2008-06-05 13:55:00
SECRET
Embassy Bern
Cable title:  

CUBA: WHA DAS MADISON'S APRIL 10 CONSULTATIONS

Tags:  PHUM PREL PGOV KDEM CU SZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
O 051355Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY BERN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5105
INFO USINT HAVANA PRIORITY 
USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
S E C R E T BERN 000273 

SIPDIS

DEPTH FOR WHA (DAS MADISON),DRL, AND EUR/AGS
(Y.SAINT-ANDRE)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV KDEM CU SZ
SUBJECT: CUBA: WHA DAS MADISON'S APRIL 10 CONSULTATIONS
WITH SENIOR SWISS MFA OFFICIALS

REF: A. BERN 244 B. BERN 94 C. 07 BERN 1146 D. 07 BERN 1125


Classified By: Poloff Chris Buck; reasons 1.4(b) and (d).

S E C R E T BERN 000273

SIPDIS

DEPTH FOR WHA (DAS MADISON),DRL, AND EUR/AGS
(Y.SAINT-ANDRE)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV KDEM CU SZ
SUBJECT: CUBA: WHA DAS MADISON'S APRIL 10 CONSULTATIONS
WITH SENIOR SWISS MFA OFFICIALS

REF: A. BERN 244 B. BERN 94 C. 07 BERN 1146 D. 07 BERN 1125


Classified By: Poloff Chris Buck; reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (S) Summary: DAS Madison expressed appreciation for
Switzerland's engagement as Protecting Power on behalf of the
U.S. Interest Section in Havana (USINT). Ambassador Yvonne
Baumann, Head of the MFA's Americas Division, said that this
role was "an honor and a priority" for the Swiss government,
and that she had emphasized to the Cubans that they need to
provide appropriate-level access to USINT. DAS Madison
observed that, while there had been some interesting
developments in Cuba recently, nothing that the Cuban
government had done so far had begun to de-construct the
repressive state. Baumann explained that the GOS had
initiated a bilateral "political dialogue" with Cuba in
January 2006, and that this dialogue included human rights
issues. She said that Switzerland expects to continue this
dialogue with Cuba, probably with a visit by a Cuban
delegation to Switzerland later in the year. Ambassador
Rudolf Knoblauch, MFA Special Envoy for Human Rights,
emphasized that Switzerland will want to see "concrete
progress" from Cuba on human rights, saying that the future
of the dialogue would depend on seeing such progress.
Baumann said that it appears that Raul Castro has surrounded
himself with "old, reliable party members -- perhaps to
shield himself from the 'real hard-liners' and to give
himself room" to maneuver. Knoblauch reported that the
Cubans were looking to Vietnam for ideas on how to make a
transition. Baumann said that she thinks that the importance
of Venezuela to Cuba is often under-estimated.
Notwithstanding the imbalance in economic relations between
Cuban and Venezuela, Baumann said she believes that Fidel
Castro had the capacity to exercise a "moderating influence"
on Hugo Chavez. End Summary.


2. (SBU) WHA DAS Madison met April 10 with Ambassador Yvonne
Baumann, Head of the MFA's Americas Division, to discuss
Cuban human rights problems and the prospects for democratic

transition. Ambassador Rudolf Knoblauch, MFA Special Envoy
for Human Rights, joined Baumann in the meeting. Poloff
accompanied DAS Madison.

--------------
Swiss Protecting Power Mandate in Cuba
--------------


3. (C) DAS Madison thanked Ambassador Baumann for
Switzerland's engagement as Protecting Power on behalf of the
U.S. Interest Section in Havana (USINT). Baumann said that
performing this role was "an honor and a priority" for the
Swiss government. She noted that the Cubans had deflected
Swiss efforts in this regard, asserting that they "do not
need a postman" to communicate with the United States.
Baumann said that she had emphasized to the Cubans that they
need to provide appropriate-level access to USINT (reftel C).

--------------
Swiss-Cuban "Political Dialogue"
--------------


4. (C) DAS Madison observed that, while there had been some
interesting developments in Cuba recently, nothing that the
Cuban government had done so far had begun to de-construct
the repressive state. She emphasized the importance of the
international community insisting that Cuba make real reforms
that deliver to the Cuban people true human rights and
democratic institutions. Baumann explained that the GOS had
initiated a bilateral "political dialogue" with Cuba in
January 2006. She said that, initially, the Cubans were not
willing to discuss human rights issues. However, the Swiss
continued to press to include human rights topics, and
eventually the Cuban government showed a willingness to talk
about human rights. Baumann noted that she had co-led a
delegation to Cuba in November 2007, to continue the
"political dialogue" (reftel D). She said that, in the
course of those talks, the Cubans did not demonstrate any
fundamental changes in attitudes, but that the Swiss
delegation had detected "some willingness to reform."
According to Baumann, during those talks, the Swiss MFA
delegation raised with Cuban officials Swiss concerns about
Cuban political prisoners, the lack of access to Cuba by ICRC
officials and UN Special Rapporteurs, and Cuban accession to
the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural
Rights, as well as to the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights.


5. (C) Knoblauch said that, in pursuing its dialogue with
Cuba, Switzerland has close cooperation with Spain, "but does
not follow exactly the same policy." He indicated that Swiss
cooperation with the Norwegians on such matters was closer,
referring to Norway as "Switzerland's 'strategic partner' on
human rights issues." Knoblauch said that, together with
Spain and Norway, Switzerland had offered to assist Cuba with
implementation of the international human rights covenants
the Cuban government recently had signed. He further
commented that he believed the UN Human Rights Council had
served to "open up the human rights dialogue" with Cuban
officials.


6. (S) Knoblauch remarked that he has met with Cuban
dissidents, and they do not appear to present a "common
front" or a "monolithic view" -- for example, "some are
favorably inclined toward the United States, and some are
not." Baumann underlined that part of Swiss development
assistance is geared toward promoting local decision-making,
civil society, and "grass roots" community participation in
projects, with the hope that this will support a peaceful
transition in Cuba. Knoblauch and Baumann said they expect
that Switzerland will continue its dialogue with Cuba,
probably with a visit by a Cuban delegation to Switzerland
later in the year. Knoblauch emphasized, however, that
Switzerland will want to see "concrete progress" from Cuba on
human rights, saying that the future of the dialogue would
depend on seeing such progress.

--------------
Raul Castro: Transition? Reform?
--------------


7. (C) Baumann said that it appears that Raul Castro has
surrounded himself with "old, reliable party members --
perhaps to shield himself from the 'real hard-liners' and to
give himself room" to maneuver. She speculated that,
"perhaps as a second step, a younger generation of Cuban
leaders might be given a chance." Knoblauch observed that
Raul Castro is elderly, so his "horizon is somewhat limited,
even if true transition does not occur" during his time.


8. (C) Turning to the question of reform, Baumann said that
the Cuban government recently had held public forums to
collect extensive information and input intended to inform
policy-making. According to Baumann, the Cuban government is
studying this information to try to determine what to do
next. She added that she expects this to be a "trial and
error" process, but one that should be encouraged. Knoblauch
reported that the Cubans were looking to Vietnam for ideas on
how to make a transition, and that Cuban delegations had been
making trips to Vietnam since mid-2006. DAS Madison
emphasized the importance of pressing for real democratic
transition in Cuba, and that rewarding anything other than
true reforms would only reinforce the Cuban status quo.

--------------
Influence of Venezuela
--------------


9. (C) Baumann said that she thinks that the importance of
Venezuela to Cuba is often under-estimated. She commented
that, if Venezuela were to end its assistance ("$3 billion
per year") to Cuba, "the regime would not collapse, but it
would really change the picture." Baumann said that she had
gotten the impression during meetings in Cuba that many
Cubans are not happy about Cuba's dependence on Venezuela,
and feared the consequences of the potential loss of their
Venezuelan benefactor, recalling the impact on Cuba of the
loss of Soviet assistance following the demise of the USSR.
Notwithstanding the imbalance in economic relations between
Cuban and Venezuela, Baumann said she believes that Fidel
Castro had the capacity to exercise a "moderating influence"
on Hugo Chavez, and that Fidel Castro had used this influence
to some effect during the recent crisis between Colombia,
Ecuador, and Venezuela.

CONEWAY