NO SIGNIFICANT UAE ROLE IN CUBA

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000510 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP AND WHA/CCA/GZAMBRANO E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2019 TAGS: PREL ETRD ETTC CU AE SUBJECT: NO SIGNIFICANT UAE ROLE IN CUBA REFS: A) STATE 48487, B) 08 ABU DHABI 647 Classified by Ambassador Richard Olson, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) Cuba and the UAE maintain diplomatic relations, but neither country has an embassy in the other capital. UAEG visits to Cuba are generally not bilateral in nature. ¶2. (C) Embassy responses to ref A questions follow. --- Has the host country, in Post's opinion, worked to promote the advancement of democracy and human rights in Cuba? Post sees no evidence to date of UAE actions designed specifically to promote human rights or democracy in Cuba. --- Has the host country made public statements or undertaken other governmental actions, such as resolutions in the national assemblies condemning human rights abuses in Cuba; or actions in support of civil society in Cuba through host country's diplomatic missions or other fora? Post is not aware of any UAEG statements with regards to human rights or civil society in Cuba. --- Have there been any high-level diplomatic visits between Cuba and the host country in the past six months? We are not aware of any bilaterally focused visits during this period, but a UAE Cabinet member, Minister of State (without portfolio) Reem al-Hashimi, visited Havana to participate in Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) meetings in April, 2009. At the meeting Minister al-Hashimi reportedly stressed the UAE desire for support in its bit to host the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi -- a major diplomatic effort for the UAE. This visit would be consistent with prior UAE visits for NAM-related events in Cuba. --- What is the nature of investments that host country businesses have in Cuba? Post has been unable to find any information on UAE investments in Cuba. Officials at the Abu Dh@EaQ~QQQ6&ba, including but not limited to: scholarships for host country nationals to study in Cuba; Cuban-paid medical travel for host country nationals; and Cuban doctors working in host country? Post is unaware of any exchange programs, but notes incidentally that a Cuban band (represented and managed by a Brazilian firm) was to hold a concert in Abu Dhabi in May, 2009. OLSON