Greece: Cuba Libertad Act Response

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 000841

SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CCA GABRIELA ZAMBRANO
AMEMBASSY ANKARA PASS TO AMCONSUL ADANA
AMEMBASSY ASTANA PASS TO USOFFICE ALMATY
AMEMBASSY BERLIN PASS TO AMCONSUL DUSSELDORF
AMEMBASSY BERLIN PASS TO AMCONSUL LEIPZIG
AMEMBASSY BELGRADE PASS TO AMEMBASSY PODGORICA
AMEMBASSY HELSINKI PASS TO AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG
AMEMBASSY ATHENS PASS TO AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PASS TO AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PASS TO AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/05/20
TAGS: PREL ETRD ETTC CU GR
SUBJECT: Greece: Cuba Libertad Act Response

REF: STATE 48487

CLASSIFIED BY: George Frowick, Acting Political Counselor; REASON:
1.4(B),(D)


1. (C) Per reftel request, Embassy Athens offers the following
information on the general state of Greece-Cuba relations as they
pertain to the Libertad Act.




2. (C) We assess that Greece will continue to follow the EU common
position to support the development of democracy and human rights
in Cuba. Like other EU countries, Greece maintained diplomatic
relations with Cuba, and Greece and Cuba exchanged ambassadors and
had reciprocal embassies.




3. (C) On a bilateral basis, Greece has made no public statements
nor undertaken any governmental actions condemning human rights
abuses in Cuba.




4. (C) Fernando Remirez de Estenoz Barciela, Head of the Department
of International Relations of the Central Committee of the
Communist Party of Cuba, visited Greece in February 2009. Barciela
separately met Greek president Karolos Papoulias and Minister of
Foreign Affairs Theodora Bakoyiannis for courtesy calls. Barciela
and his delegation subsequently attended the 18th Congress of the
Greek Communist Party (KKE),a minor party in Greek Parliament that
continues to maintain close ties to the Cuban regime.




5. (C) Information on any investment, trade, or exchange program
ties between Greece and Cuba will be delivered septel.
SPECKHARD