Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BRUSSELS1589
2008-10-14 16:37:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USEU Brussels
Cable title:
EU-CUBA DIALOGUE SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 16
how-toVZCZCXRO5481 OO RUEHAG RUEHROV DE RUEHBS #1589 2881637 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 141637Z OCT 08 FM USEU BRUSSELS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 001589
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/ERA ELIZABETH KONICK, WHA FOR KAREN RAM, WHA
FOR BISA WILLIAMS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/2018
TAGS: PREL EUN CU
SUBJECT: EU-CUBA DIALOGUE SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 16
REF: USEU BRUSSELS 1540
Classified By: USEU PoL M-C Chris Davis for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 001589
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/ERA ELIZABETH KONICK, WHA FOR KAREN RAM, WHA
FOR BISA WILLIAMS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/2018
TAGS: PREL EUN CU
SUBJECT: EU-CUBA DIALOGUE SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 16
REF: USEU BRUSSELS 1540
Classified By: USEU PoL M-C Chris Davis for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: EU interlocutors tell us that an EU-Cuba
political dialogue is scheduled to take place at foreign
minister level this Thursday, October 16, in Paris. The EU
assures us that human rights and democracy issues will be
part of the dialogue. The Cuban Government has made
last-minute demands of the French EU Presidency, but with
Cuban FM Perez Roque already in Europe, Paris and Havana may
find a solution. End Summary.
2. (C) EU Council Secretariat Latin America Task Force
chief Nicolas Pascual de la Parte told PolOff on October 14
that an EU-Cuba political dialogue is scheduled for October
16 in Paris. The EU, in typical troika format, will be
represented by French FM Bernard Kouchner, Czech FM Karel
Schwartzenberg, European Commissioner for Development Louis
Michel, and Pascual de la Parte attending on behalf of HR/SG
Javier Solana. FM Felipe Perez Roque will represent Cuba.
As previously promised by the EU for any discussions with
Cuba (see reftel),the agenda includes human rights, the
transition to democracy, humanitarian aid, and cooperation in
a number of areas. Katerina Beckova, political officer at
the Czech mission, confirmed that the meeting was scheduled
for Thursday and that human rights would indeed be part of
the discussions.
3. (C) Pascual de la Parte said France was working to
finalize the meeting, but the Government of Cuba was not
making matters easy. After initial arrangements were in
place, the Cuban Government contacted the French Ambassador
in Havana to demand pre-meeting guarantees on subjects such
as non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign
states. Pascual de la Parte opined that it was unfortunate
for Havana to hold up ministerial level discussions with such
demands and that the French were not inclined to offer
pre-discussion declarations.
4. (C) Comment: Our impression is that the EU expects that
the Government of Cuba will back down from its last-minute
requests in order to make sure the meeting happens. Cuban FM
Perez Roque is already in Europe and met with Spanish leaders
on October 14. It seems unlikely, but not impossible, that
the GOC would prevent the discussion from happening now. End
Comment.
MURRAY
.
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/ERA ELIZABETH KONICK, WHA FOR KAREN RAM, WHA
FOR BISA WILLIAMS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/2018
TAGS: PREL EUN CU
SUBJECT: EU-CUBA DIALOGUE SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 16
REF: USEU BRUSSELS 1540
Classified By: USEU PoL M-C Chris Davis for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: EU interlocutors tell us that an EU-Cuba
political dialogue is scheduled to take place at foreign
minister level this Thursday, October 16, in Paris. The EU
assures us that human rights and democracy issues will be
part of the dialogue. The Cuban Government has made
last-minute demands of the French EU Presidency, but with
Cuban FM Perez Roque already in Europe, Paris and Havana may
find a solution. End Summary.
2. (C) EU Council Secretariat Latin America Task Force
chief Nicolas Pascual de la Parte told PolOff on October 14
that an EU-Cuba political dialogue is scheduled for October
16 in Paris. The EU, in typical troika format, will be
represented by French FM Bernard Kouchner, Czech FM Karel
Schwartzenberg, European Commissioner for Development Louis
Michel, and Pascual de la Parte attending on behalf of HR/SG
Javier Solana. FM Felipe Perez Roque will represent Cuba.
As previously promised by the EU for any discussions with
Cuba (see reftel),the agenda includes human rights, the
transition to democracy, humanitarian aid, and cooperation in
a number of areas. Katerina Beckova, political officer at
the Czech mission, confirmed that the meeting was scheduled
for Thursday and that human rights would indeed be part of
the discussions.
3. (C) Pascual de la Parte said France was working to
finalize the meeting, but the Government of Cuba was not
making matters easy. After initial arrangements were in
place, the Cuban Government contacted the French Ambassador
in Havana to demand pre-meeting guarantees on subjects such
as non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign
states. Pascual de la Parte opined that it was unfortunate
for Havana to hold up ministerial level discussions with such
demands and that the French were not inclined to offer
pre-discussion declarations.
4. (C) Comment: Our impression is that the EU expects that
the Government of Cuba will back down from its last-minute
requests in order to make sure the meeting happens. Cuban FM
Perez Roque is already in Europe and met with Spanish leaders
on October 14. It seems unlikely, but not impossible, that
the GOC would prevent the discussion from happening now. End
Comment.
MURRAY
.