Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09HAVANA473
2009-08-05 11:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
US Interests Section Havana
Cable title:
REVERSING THE CUT-OFF OF U.S. INTERNET MESSAGING
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C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 000473
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CCA
DEPT FOR EEB/ESC/TFS
DEPT ALSO FOR DRL/AWH, AND S/P JARED COHEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2019
TAGS: EINT PREL ECON PHUM CU
SUBJECT: REVERSING THE CUT-OFF OF U.S. INTERNET MESSAGING
SERVICES IN CUBA
REF: HAVANA 361
Classified By: COM JONATHAN FARRAR FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 000473
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CCA
DEPT FOR EEB/ESC/TFS
DEPT ALSO FOR DRL/AWH, AND S/P JARED COHEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2019
TAGS: EINT PREL ECON PHUM CU
SUBJECT: REVERSING THE CUT-OFF OF U.S. INTERNET MESSAGING
SERVICES IN CUBA
REF: HAVANA 361
Classified By: COM JONATHAN FARRAR FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
1. (C) Reftel requested Washington action to reverse the
moves by Microsoft, Google, and others to block their
Internet messaging services in Cuba. The actions by these
U.S. companies to stop such services only help the efforts of
GOC censors to control the information available to the Cuban
people and run directly counter to our own efforts to expand
the free flow of information to, from, and within Cuba. Our
understanding is that the U.S. firms acted out of concern
that providing such services might run counter to USG
controls on exports to countries deemed to be state sponsors
of terrorism.
2. (C) In the past seven weeks, from our perspective there
has been little discernable progress on resolving this issue.
We still face the looming threat that this ban may spread to
other social networking services. Meanwhile, the USG is
devoting considerable time, effort, and resources on a broad
spectrum of programs designed to increase the free flow of
information in Cuba. On April 13, the President announced
new steps to facilitate increased telecommunications links
between the United States and Cuba. The juxtaposition of
these initiatives and the continued blocking of social
networking services damages our credibility and, more
importantly, the ability of the Cuban people to communicate
directly with one another.
3. (C) Action Request: Havana requests renewed efforts by
Washington agencies to resolve this imbroglio with leading
U.S. technology companies and restore messaging and other
similar services in Cuba as quickly as possible.
FARRAR
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CCA
DEPT FOR EEB/ESC/TFS
DEPT ALSO FOR DRL/AWH, AND S/P JARED COHEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2019
TAGS: EINT PREL ECON PHUM CU
SUBJECT: REVERSING THE CUT-OFF OF U.S. INTERNET MESSAGING
SERVICES IN CUBA
REF: HAVANA 361
Classified By: COM JONATHAN FARRAR FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
1. (C) Reftel requested Washington action to reverse the
moves by Microsoft, Google, and others to block their
Internet messaging services in Cuba. The actions by these
U.S. companies to stop such services only help the efforts of
GOC censors to control the information available to the Cuban
people and run directly counter to our own efforts to expand
the free flow of information to, from, and within Cuba. Our
understanding is that the U.S. firms acted out of concern
that providing such services might run counter to USG
controls on exports to countries deemed to be state sponsors
of terrorism.
2. (C) In the past seven weeks, from our perspective there
has been little discernable progress on resolving this issue.
We still face the looming threat that this ban may spread to
other social networking services. Meanwhile, the USG is
devoting considerable time, effort, and resources on a broad
spectrum of programs designed to increase the free flow of
information in Cuba. On April 13, the President announced
new steps to facilitate increased telecommunications links
between the United States and Cuba. The juxtaposition of
these initiatives and the continued blocking of social
networking services damages our credibility and, more
importantly, the ability of the Cuban people to communicate
directly with one another.
3. (C) Action Request: Havana requests renewed efforts by
Washington agencies to resolve this imbroglio with leading
U.S. technology companies and restore messaging and other
similar services in Cuba as quickly as possible.
FARRAR