FINLAND: REVIEW FOR SUSPENSION OF TITLE III OF THE

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000223 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CCA/DMCFARLAND E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU FI SUBJECT: FINLAND: REVIEW FOR SUSPENSION OF TITLE III OF THE LIBERTAD ACT REF: STATE 52541 (SBU) Post provides the following responses, keyed to questions in paragraph 5 of reftel: -- The Government of Finland has no Embassy in Cuba, almost no bilateral aid projects, and very little contact with Cuban officials or the Cuban people. However, Finland worked to promote human rights and democracy in Cuba by supporting common EU positions and statements. The GoF also supported civil society with very limited funding (about USD 100,000 in FY 2007) to train Cuban youth NGOs and trade unions on environmental protection issues and in the basic principles of market economy. -- The GoF supported consensus in the EU on statements regarding human rights abuses in Cuba and in support of democracy. -- There have been no high-level visits in the past six months. Major Finnish companies such as Wartsila and Nokia have investments and sell products and services in Cuba. However, we have no information to suggest that these businesses have trafficked or that they have any intention to traffic in confiscated Cuban properties. -- Finland has no significant bilateral trade agreements with Cuba. --3) There are no significant government-funded student exchanges between Cuba and Finland and no Cuban-paid medical travel for Finnish nationals that post is aware of. If any Cuban medical personnel work in Finland, they are here as a result of economic or family-based immigration, not/not as part of a Cuban or Finnish Government-sponsored program. BARRETT