READOUT OF EU LATIN AMERICAN WORKING GROUP FROM

C O N F I D E N T I A L USEU BRUSSELS 000845 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2018 TAGS: PREL CU EUN SUBJECT: READOUT OF EU LATIN AMERICAN WORKING GROUP FROM CZECHS Classified By: Lawrence Wohlers USEU Minister Counselor for Political Affairs, for reasons 1.4. (B) and (D) ¶1. Deputy Pol Minister Counselor and PolOff met with Veronika Bajgarova, Deputy Director of American States at the Czech MFA, Jarmila Povejsilova, desk officer in the Department of the Americas, and Katerina Beckova from the Czech Perm Rep this afternoon following today's meeting of the Latin American Working group (COLAT). Bajgarova was surprised by the momentum for lifting the suspended restrictive measures against Cuba. She said the discussion had moved beyond whether to lift them to a debate over how and when they would be lifted. The argument from the Spanish-led side, with support from the French and Italians, is that the sanctions are not accomplishing their stated goals of advancing democracy, and are making implementation of the common position impossible. Cuba will not allow visiting officials to talk to civil society or dissidents as long as the measures are in place, preventing any track II diplomacy and limiting track I to a handful of states. ¶2. Bajgarova said Sweden, Denmark, Hungary and the UK are all fighting for a compromise document that provides specific benchmarks that the Cubans will have to reach if political dialogue is reopened with them. The areas of focus are release of political prisoners, public access to information, freedom for the EU to pursue track II diplomacy, and ratification of the ICCPR. If a dialogue is begun, the Czechs also want to insure that it is unconditional as to content and countries -- the Cubans must agree to speak with all Member States (MS) and must allow discussion of all topics. ¶3. Along with discussing the Cuban common position, COLAT brought up the issue of Cuba language in the U.S. -EU Summit declaration. Some members suggested a trade; they will allow Cuba language in the summit document if and only if the suspended measures are lifted. Lifting the measures was apparently a condition for political dialogue set out by the Cubans during last year's Troika meetings with the EU on the margins of UNGA. Bajgarova pointed out that the COTRA was unable to come to agreement on this issue, so the item has been referred to the COREPER. ¶4. Bajgarova emphasized that the Czech position had not changed, and both for internal political reasons and personal reasons their Minister of Foreign Affairs was opposed to lifting the suspended measures until real political change has taken place. She noted the final decision would be taken by the minister. While she said many times that the Czech delegation is feeling isolated on this issue, she pointed out that the Polish Minister for Foreign Affairs is a potential ally on this issue, due to his strong anti-Communism, even though the Foreign Ministry itself may be more inclined to favor lifting the sanctions. However, in a follow-on private conversation, Beckova doubted the Poles would stand with them and noted once again that the Czechs are under intense pressure. Bajgarova said the UK may also end up supporting the Czech position; the decision will be made at the Ministerial meeting. ¶5. Bajgarova is returning to Prague tonight, to brief her Minister before his trip to the US later this week. Whether the COLAT votes to lift these measures depends largely on the text being drafted by the Slovene presidency. The Slovenes should have a draft to MS tonight, and MS are supposed to return with comments from capitals by Friday. ¶6. COMMENT: The procedures here are complicated. The Cuba restrictive measures question is handled by COLAT and then the PSC. The summit do