STOCKHOLM: REVIEW FOR SUSPENSION OF TITLE III OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STOCKHOLM 000836

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2018
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU SW
SUBJECT: STOCKHOLM: REVIEW FOR SUSPENSION OF TITLE III OF
THE LIBERTAD ACT

REF: STATE 126578

Classified By: Pol Counselor Marc Koehler, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (U) The information in this message is keyed to questions
posed in reftel.


2. (C) Has Sweden worked to promote the advancement of
democracy and human rights in Cuba?

-- Since 1996, Sweden's Cuba policy has been to support
democratic development and respect for human rights in Cuba
through the EU's "constructive engagement" policy. Sweden
uses such engagement to raise human rights concerns with
Havana, including regularly citing Cuba in Sweden's annual
human rights report. In 2006 (the most recent data
available),the Swedish International Development Agency
(SIDA) allocated nearly one million USD to encourage
democratic reforms in Cuba, including projects focusing on
human rights training, economic modernization, and exchanges
between Cuban and Swedish institutions.


3. (C) Has Sweden made public statements or undertaken other
governmental actions, such as resolutions in Parliament
condemning human rights abuses in Cuba; or other actions in
support of civil society in Cuba through Sweden's diplomatic
mission or other fora?

-- Swedish FM Bildt publicly criticizes Cuba on a regular
basis. After Fidel Castro's resignation, FM Bildt pointed
out on his daily blog that, "Today Cuba is the only country
in the Western hemisphere which lacks a popularly elected
government. Instead it is weighed down by an obsolete and
fossilized Communist regime." In June 2008, a Member of the
European Parliament questioned the EU's increased cooperation
with Cuba and FM Bildt responded that he could not see any
changes with regards to democratization in Cuba, but that he
was open to dialogue in order to influence reform. On
December 10, 2008, FM Bildt mentioned Cuba in his speech at
the 60th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights,
stating, "A couple of decades ago Mao's culture revolution
and Castro's Cuba was the ideal for many young people in the
West. Today the demand for one party states and
dictatorships is close to none in the free world. And so it
should be, human rights are universal and eternal."


4. (C) Have there been any high-level diplomatic visits
between Cuba and Sweden in the past six months?

There have been no high-level diplomatic visits between Cuba
and Sweden for over a decade. The last such visit was in
1999, when then Cuban Minister for Finance and Planning, Jose
Luis Rodriquez Garcia, traveled to Sweden.


5. (C) Did Sweden offer or deliver humanitarian or other
assistance to the Cuban people in the wake of the major
damage caused by Hurricane Gustav (August 30) or Ike
(September 8)?

-- In September 2008, SIDA approved the Swedish Red Cross's
expenditure of approximately 460,000 USD in support of the
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies' hurricane relief appeal. In October 2008, SIDA
approved the aid agency Diakonia's expenditure of
approximately 130,000 USD to support 1,000 families affected
by Hurricane Gustav and Ike in the provinces Pinar del Rio,
Las Tunas, Holguin, and Matanzas in Cuba. The implementing
organizations included Consejo de Iglesias de Cuba (CIC),
Centro Memorial Martin Luther King (CMMLK),and Centro
Cristiano de Reflexion y Dialogo (CCRD).


6. (C) What is the nature of investments (and names, if
known) that Swedish businesses have in Cuba? What Swedish
businesses participated in the Havana Trade Fair (November 3)?

-- A few Swedish companies have operations in Cuba, including
Elof Hansson (forestry and consumer products),Atlas Copco
(nickel and steel),Alfa Laval (oil, sugar, and
food-products),Volvo Construction Equipment (trucks and
other machinery),Ericsson (fixed telephone, GSM-networks,
cell phones),and Bycosin (metallic powder for oil industry
and the energy sector). In 2007, Swedish exports to Cuba
doubled to approximately 38 million USD, while imports
decreased by 69 percent to approximately 800,000 USD.
Approximately 20 Swedes live in Cuba, but between three and
five thousand Swedish tourists visit Cuba each year.

-- Post is not aware of any recent investments or Swedish
business participation in the Havana Trade Fair. On November

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24-26, 2008, a private delegation with representatives from
Swedish companies Atlas Copco, Ronautica, Seaflex, Swedish
Mining, Tunneling Group and EKN Havana visited Cuba to meet
with business counterparts.


7. (C) Are there any bilateral trade agreements or other
cooperative agreements between Sweden and Cuba?

-- Post is not aware of any bilateral trade or cooperative
agreements between Sweden and Cuba.


8. (C) Are there any exchange programs between Sweden and
Cuba, including but not limited to: scholarships for Swedish
nationals to study in Cuba; Cuban-paid medical travel for
Swedes; and other Cuban doctors working in Sweden?

-- Post is not aware of any Cuba-specific exchange programs.
The Swedish Migration Board reported only eight Cubans
studying independently in Sweden in 2007.
SILVERMAN