Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08OTTAWA294
2008-02-26 21:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ottawa
how-toVZCZCXRO7803 OO RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHQU RUEHVC DE RUEHOT #0294 0572114 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 262114Z FEB 08 FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7404 INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000294
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM EAID CU CA
SUBJECT: CANADA ON CUBA
REF: STATE 18323
Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000294
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM EAID CU CA
SUBJECT: CANADA ON CUBA
REF: STATE 18323
Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) In a meeting with PolMinCouns on February 26,
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Director General for Latin America and the Caribbean James M.
Lambert expressed appreciation for reftel views on seeking
meaningful political change in Cuba leading toward a
democratic end. He commented how very closely Canada's goals
tracked with our own, point by point. He underscored the
importance of a "coherent" approach to Cuba by democratic
nations, especially in the region, to "keep up pressure" on
Cuba and to maintain a focus on the need for change. He
cited Foreign Minister Bernier's public comment on February
19 that Canada hoped the leadership transition in Cuba would
"open the way for the Cuban people to pursue a process of
political and economic reform."
2. (C) Lambert called the numbers of political prisoners in
Cuba "an outrage," but said that Canada had been mildly
encouraged that, since Raul Castro had stepped in due to his
brother's ill health, the total had declined from over 300 to
about 210. He asserted that Canadian officials -- both
visitors (including Deputy Foreign Minster Len Edwards in
December 2007) and those at the Embassy -- advocated
regularly and strongly for the release of all political
prisoners as well as the promotion of political, civil, and
human rights, and have refused to let the Cuban government
dictate with whom they could meet. Canadian officials have
made concerted efforts to reach out to civil society groups
and leaders as well as academics, and have also promoted
people to people exchanges, he noted. Lambert also described
how six Canadian centers around Cuba enable ordinary Cuban
citizens to use the Internet and seek information about the
outside world unavailable elsewhere. Under an exchange
program with Ottawa's Carleton University, Canadian
professors are also teaching modern economic theory at Havana
University to Cuban students in the hope that, when reform
eventually happens, the future leaders will at least have a
grounding in practical -- i.e. non-Communist -- economic
theory, he added.
3. (C) Lambert and Central America and Caribbean Division
Director Alexandre Leveque assessed Raul Castro as much more
of a "delegator" and much less of a demagogue than his
brother, and predicted that he would proceed with some
"pragmatic steps" in the economic sphere, while ensuring that
Cuba stayed within the confines of a one-party, Communist
state. However, they also expressed doubt about any bold
economic reforms such as Vietnam's "doi moi" on Raul Castro's
watch, highlighting that he would likely be more focused on
ensuring continuity than on promoting change. They also
pointed to the choice of First Vice President as "scary," and
as an indication that hard-liners will retain significant
influence on policy-making, even if both Castro brothers died
in the next few years. They nonetheless opined that Raul
Castro would take some steps to improve the government's
"efficiency" in the economic sphere and to meet more of the
"economic expectations" of the Cuban people. Lambert
commented that the ongoing discussion about economic change
is probably one of the three most open and important in
Cuba's history. He added that Raul Castro seemed little
interested in any sort of world or regional leadership role,
while necessarily maintaining positive relations with
Qwhile necessarily maintaining positive relations with
Venezuela due to its significant oil deliveries, worth about
$2 billion each year.
4. (C) Canada's annual assistance to Cuba is at the modest
level of $10 million -- about one-tenth of what it gives to
Haiti -- but making Canada so far the largest source of ODA,
as well as of direct investment and tourists, according to
Lambert He claimed that this still gave Canada a "voice on
economic issues," if not actual leverage. However, he
pointed to a new Spanish initiative to provide Cuba with
about $28 million in annual assistance, which will quickly
dwarf Canada's program. Lambert added that Canadian
investments in the mining sector had given Canadian companies
the opportunity to demonstrate corporate social
responsibility and to promote concepts of employee equity and
labor rights as well.
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada
WILKINS
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM EAID CU CA
SUBJECT: CANADA ON CUBA
REF: STATE 18323
Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) In a meeting with PolMinCouns on February 26,
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Director General for Latin America and the Caribbean James M.
Lambert expressed appreciation for reftel views on seeking
meaningful political change in Cuba leading toward a
democratic end. He commented how very closely Canada's goals
tracked with our own, point by point. He underscored the
importance of a "coherent" approach to Cuba by democratic
nations, especially in the region, to "keep up pressure" on
Cuba and to maintain a focus on the need for change. He
cited Foreign Minister Bernier's public comment on February
19 that Canada hoped the leadership transition in Cuba would
"open the way for the Cuban people to pursue a process of
political and economic reform."
2. (C) Lambert called the numbers of political prisoners in
Cuba "an outrage," but said that Canada had been mildly
encouraged that, since Raul Castro had stepped in due to his
brother's ill health, the total had declined from over 300 to
about 210. He asserted that Canadian officials -- both
visitors (including Deputy Foreign Minster Len Edwards in
December 2007) and those at the Embassy -- advocated
regularly and strongly for the release of all political
prisoners as well as the promotion of political, civil, and
human rights, and have refused to let the Cuban government
dictate with whom they could meet. Canadian officials have
made concerted efforts to reach out to civil society groups
and leaders as well as academics, and have also promoted
people to people exchanges, he noted. Lambert also described
how six Canadian centers around Cuba enable ordinary Cuban
citizens to use the Internet and seek information about the
outside world unavailable elsewhere. Under an exchange
program with Ottawa's Carleton University, Canadian
professors are also teaching modern economic theory at Havana
University to Cuban students in the hope that, when reform
eventually happens, the future leaders will at least have a
grounding in practical -- i.e. non-Communist -- economic
theory, he added.
3. (C) Lambert and Central America and Caribbean Division
Director Alexandre Leveque assessed Raul Castro as much more
of a "delegator" and much less of a demagogue than his
brother, and predicted that he would proceed with some
"pragmatic steps" in the economic sphere, while ensuring that
Cuba stayed within the confines of a one-party, Communist
state. However, they also expressed doubt about any bold
economic reforms such as Vietnam's "doi moi" on Raul Castro's
watch, highlighting that he would likely be more focused on
ensuring continuity than on promoting change. They also
pointed to the choice of First Vice President as "scary," and
as an indication that hard-liners will retain significant
influence on policy-making, even if both Castro brothers died
in the next few years. They nonetheless opined that Raul
Castro would take some steps to improve the government's
"efficiency" in the economic sphere and to meet more of the
"economic expectations" of the Cuban people. Lambert
commented that the ongoing discussion about economic change
is probably one of the three most open and important in
Cuba's history. He added that Raul Castro seemed little
interested in any sort of world or regional leadership role,
while necessarily maintaining positive relations with
Qwhile necessarily maintaining positive relations with
Venezuela due to its significant oil deliveries, worth about
$2 billion each year.
4. (C) Canada's annual assistance to Cuba is at the modest
level of $10 million -- about one-tenth of what it gives to
Haiti -- but making Canada so far the largest source of ODA,
as well as of direct investment and tourists, according to
Lambert He claimed that this still gave Canada a "voice on
economic issues," if not actual leverage. However, he
pointed to a new Spanish initiative to provide Cuba with
about $28 million in annual assistance, which will quickly
dwarf Canada's program. Lambert added that Canadian
investments in the mining sector had given Canadian companies
the opportunity to demonstrate corporate social
responsibility and to promote concepts of employee equity and
labor rights as well.
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada
WILKINS