Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08DAMASCUS364
2008-05-22 14:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Damascus
Cable title:
SYRIA-CUBA: TITLE III OF THE LIBERTAD ACT, MAY 2008
how-toVZCZCXRO1048 PP RUEHAG RUEHROV DE RUEHDM #0364 1431457 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 221457Z MAY 08 FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5005 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0006 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0408
C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 000364
SIPDIS
NEA/ELA, WHA/CCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2018
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU SY
SUBJECT: SYRIA-CUBA: TITLE III OF THE LIBERTAD ACT, MAY 2008
REF: A. STATE 52541
B. 07 DAMASCUS 0483
Classified By: CDA Michael H. Corbin for reasons 1.4 b and d
C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 000364
SIPDIS
NEA/ELA, WHA/CCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2018
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU SY
SUBJECT: SYRIA-CUBA: TITLE III OF THE LIBERTAD ACT, MAY 2008
REF: A. STATE 52541
B. 07 DAMASCUS 0483
Classified By: CDA Michael H. Corbin for reasons 1.4 b and d
1. (U) In response to ref A: The SARG has taken no actions
to promote the advancement of democracy or human rights in
Cuba and as a matter of foreign policy has expressed a
support for Cuban policies.
2. (U) The SARG has made no public statements or
undertaken other governmental actions to support civil
society in Cuba. The SARG has taken no action through its
diplomatic mission or other fora to support democracy after
the undemocratic succession from Fidel to Raul Castro.
3. (U) There was one high-level diplomatic visit between
Cuba and the host country in the past six months. On March
29, Cuban Minister of Foreign Relations, Filipe Peres Roki,
addressed the Arab League Summit in Damascus on behalf of the
Non-Aligned Movement. There were also high-level diplomatic
visits during the past year. On June 5, 2007 Felix Castro
Jr., Scientific Adviser to the State Council Presidency and
son of the then Cuban leader Fidel Castro, visited Syria and
met with Syrian Information Minister Mohsen Bilal. We
suspect there are other low level Cuban-Syrian contacts given
Syrian and Cuban foreign policy positions.
4. (U) There are no known private or public Syrian
business investments in Cuba.
5. (U) Syria signed a pro forma "trade agreement" with
Cuba in 1998, ratified in 2000. According to the Director of
International Relations at the Syrian Ministry of Economy and
Trade, the agreement is the type of agreement that Syria
signs with all "friend" countries. The agreement gives no
reduced customs or other preferential access to either market
(ref B). In addition, there were a number of public
statements in the recent past that touched on the topic of
improved trade relations between the two countries. For
instance, on April 4, 2007 Cuban Minister of Investment and
Economic Cooperation, Marta Louis Morales stated that, "The
forthcoming period will witness more progress in holding more
cooperation between the two countries."
6. (U) With regard to exchange programs, Cuba provides
scholarships to post-graduate Syrian students in Spanish
under the umbrella of the Joint Syrian-Cuban Committee.
CORBIN
SIPDIS
NEA/ELA, WHA/CCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2018
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU SY
SUBJECT: SYRIA-CUBA: TITLE III OF THE LIBERTAD ACT, MAY 2008
REF: A. STATE 52541
B. 07 DAMASCUS 0483
Classified By: CDA Michael H. Corbin for reasons 1.4 b and d
1. (U) In response to ref A: The SARG has taken no actions
to promote the advancement of democracy or human rights in
Cuba and as a matter of foreign policy has expressed a
support for Cuban policies.
2. (U) The SARG has made no public statements or
undertaken other governmental actions to support civil
society in Cuba. The SARG has taken no action through its
diplomatic mission or other fora to support democracy after
the undemocratic succession from Fidel to Raul Castro.
3. (U) There was one high-level diplomatic visit between
Cuba and the host country in the past six months. On March
29, Cuban Minister of Foreign Relations, Filipe Peres Roki,
addressed the Arab League Summit in Damascus on behalf of the
Non-Aligned Movement. There were also high-level diplomatic
visits during the past year. On June 5, 2007 Felix Castro
Jr., Scientific Adviser to the State Council Presidency and
son of the then Cuban leader Fidel Castro, visited Syria and
met with Syrian Information Minister Mohsen Bilal. We
suspect there are other low level Cuban-Syrian contacts given
Syrian and Cuban foreign policy positions.
4. (U) There are no known private or public Syrian
business investments in Cuba.
5. (U) Syria signed a pro forma "trade agreement" with
Cuba in 1998, ratified in 2000. According to the Director of
International Relations at the Syrian Ministry of Economy and
Trade, the agreement is the type of agreement that Syria
signs with all "friend" countries. The agreement gives no
reduced customs or other preferential access to either market
(ref B). In addition, there were a number of public
statements in the recent past that touched on the topic of
improved trade relations between the two countries. For
instance, on April 4, 2007 Cuban Minister of Investment and
Economic Cooperation, Marta Louis Morales stated that, "The
forthcoming period will witness more progress in holding more
cooperation between the two countries."
6. (U) With regard to exchange programs, Cuba provides
scholarships to post-graduate Syrian students in Spanish
under the umbrella of the Joint Syrian-Cuban Committee.
CORBIN