CUBAN PARTICIPATION IN THE PRESIDENT'S EDUCATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 000784

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2013
TAGS: EAID SCUL CU
SUBJECT: CUBAN PARTICIPATION IN THE PRESIDENT'S EDUCATION
INITIATIVE FOR WHA: USINT HAVANA RESPONSE

REF: STATE 098793

Classified By: COM Jonathan Farrar for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. ( C ) SUMMARY: USINT Havana appreciates WHA and ECA
support for Cuba's participation in Partnership for Latin
American Youth (PLAY) programs. We believe that such
programs would be very well received among Cubans. We are
not sanguine about the likelihood of the GOC standing aside
to allow the programs to proceed unfettered, but we further
believe that we should not be deterred by official
opposition. We propose to employ all public diplomacy assets
available to us to make the Cuban public aware of the
existence of these programs and the procedures for applying
for them. If the GOC moves to block participation in our
programs, so be it, but we must be sure that if no clear
resistance from the GOC develops, those who apply are able to
participate promptly. END SUMMARY


2. ( C ) The following are our views on the viability of the
specific programs outlined in reftel:


A. Community College Initiative: This would be the most
ideal candidate for Cuba as it comes closest to addressing
youth career interests. At least initially, we believe the
numbers could be kept modest (say, for example 4-6 students)
in order to create some success stories. USINT proposes to
recruit by means such as our USINT website, Radio and TV
Marti--even our electronic billboard--as well as word
of-mouth through the existing network of Cuban youth that has
been the target of our outreach efforts in the past couple of
years. While our contacts in this area are comparatively
limited at the moment, they likely would grow as word spread
about the existence of this program. We believe
English-language training would be necessary for all
participants. The biggest challenge will be securing exit
visas from the GOC once it ascertains the program's funding
sources and objectives.


B. Undergraduate Student Leader Institutes: This program also
is a good option for the same reasons outlined in (A) above.
It will likely have greatest success if conducted in Spanish.
We are not sure that an intensive English-language training
component would be cost effective for a program lasting only
six weeks, but if pursued, this would obviously expand
interest among the applicants and available options. Once
again, exit visas would be the biggest challenge.


C. Youth Ambassadors: We do not believe this would be a
viable program in Cuba at this point due to the requirement
for English-language ability and the young ages of the
participants. Nonetheless, we could employ the same
strategies for advertising the program listed in (A) above
and see what develops. On travel and visa issues, in addition
to the GOC's requirement to obtain exit visas, there is an
additional requirement that parents be authorized by the GOC
to allow their minor children to travel.


D. English Access Micro-Scholarship Program: This would be
an excellent program, but cannot be supported in the present
environment due to the nonexistence of any private language
schools or NGOs willing to accept U.S. assistance. USINT
works closely with and provides regular training to a group
of private English teachers who tutor Cuban students on an
individual basis, but the infrastructure required by this
program does not presently exist. Nevertheless, we would
hope to move forward with the program at some point in the
future when the environment is more favorable.


E. N/A


3. ( C ) As reftel acknowledged, there will indeed be a
number of challenges to overcome in identifying candidates
and providing them with access to these programs, including:

-- the difficulty of reaching youth audiences, particularly
students at Cuban universities, whose academic careers and
future livelihoods (and those of their families) could be
jeopardized by participation in U.S.-sponsored exchanges;

-- intense GOC efforts to isolate USINT from Cuban academic,
intellectual, artistic, and cultural circles,

-- the lack of alternatives to state-owned and state-operated
educational institutions, including any for the purpose of
teaching English;

-- insufficient staff in USINT's Public Affairs Section (PAS)
if we receive large numbers of applicants.

Offering programs such as those in PLAY could help overcome
the first two points as Cubans would likely start coming to
us on their own. Thus, the greatest challenge we may face

will be having sufficient resources to manage the
applications that come in. Assuming we will not be able to
increase staff locally, we would appreciate any support
Washington-based offices could provide to review the
applications. USINT would do everything in its power to
expedite visas for those selected to participate in these
programs, but ultimate authority to issue or not rests with
Washington.


4. ( C ) Given the GOC's historical objections to any
programs initiated or paid for by the United States, coupled
with its equally adamant stance against allowing Cuban
university students to study elsewhere (and particularly in
the U.S.),we are not confident that the GOC will allow
Cubans to participate actively in any of these programs.
That said, announcing the availability of such opportunities
for Cuban youth at a time when despair over their economic
futures has led them to eschew long-term study in general,
even for formerly prestigious careers, would redound to the
U.S.'s favor. We would prefer move forward and then let the
GOC choose whether to cast itself as the heavy, forcing it to
deny their youth access to programs that would be seen as
desirable by most Cubans. As a result, USINT proposes to go
all-out to recruit, review, process and promote students for
these programs, notwithstanding the likely interference of
the Cuban government.
FARRAR