LIBERTAD ACT: INPUT FOR UK

C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 001226

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CCA GZAMBRANO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL ETRD ETTC PHUM CU UK
SUBJECT: LIBERTAD ACT: INPUT FOR UK

REF: SECSTATE 48487

Classified By: Political Counselor Rick Mills
for reasons 1.4 b and d


1. (C) Summary. Further to reftel, Poloff met with Foreign
and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officers May 21 to seek updated
information about HMG actions and policies concerning Cuba.
HMG remains committed to promoting the development of
democratic institutions and human rights in Cuba and is
disappointed at the lack of Cuban progress in these areas --
a point of view which the FCO says is shared by other EU
countries. The UK's policy toward Cuba continues to be based
upon the EU Common Position of 1996, which sets out that
"full co-operation with Cuba will depend upon improvements in
human rights and political freedom." UK officials have
publicly called for improvement in Cuba's human rights
situation. No UK Ministers have visited Cuba since 2005.
End Summary.


2. (C) During a May 21 meeting with Poloff, Sujeevan
Satheesan, Head of the Mexico, Central America, Cuba,
Dominican Republic and Haiti Section at the FCO, and Marianne
Kalloor, FCO Central America and Cuba Desk Officer,
reaffirmed HMG's commitment to promoting the development of
democratic institutions and the protection of human rights in
Cuba. Satheesan underscored that HMG, like other EU
governments, is "disappointed that there has been no real
movement on human rights (in Cuba) in the last year." Both
officers underscored that "Cuba has not progressed,"
stressing that when the EU reviews in June the EU Common
Position regarding its policy toward Cuba, the result of the
review will reflect EU-wide disappointment with the lack of
progress. They noted that the EU's representatives have
"spoken in strong terms" during recent discussions with Cuban
diplomats about human rights issues in Cuba. During the most
recent EU-Cuba "political dialogue," in May, Cuban diplomats
"reacted badly" when the EU participants raised human rights
concerns with them. Satheesan and Kalloor stated that within
EU fora the UK has raised, and will continue to raise,
concerns about lack of Cuban progress in regard to human
rights issues, such as political prisoners.


3. (C) Further to the questions posed in reftel, Post
provides the following updated answers pertaining to the UK's
involvement in and relations with Cuba. The answers are
keyed to the questions posed in reftel:

Has the UK, in Post's opinion, worked to promote the
advancement of democracy and human rights in Cuba?

-- Yes. The UK's policy toward Cuba continues to be based
upon the EU Common Position of 1996, which sets out that
"full co-operation with Cuba will depend upon improvements in
human rights and political freedom." HMG officials state that
the UK has raised, and will continue to raise, within EU fora
concerns about lack of Cuban progress in regard to human
rights issues, such as political prisoners. The UK has
worked actively within the EU to negotiate a middle ground
for the common policy between those who would like to
completely open relations with Cuba and those who would like
to isolate it. The UK, as a matter of foreign policy
strategy, adopts a nearly universal policy of constructive
engagement and believes that engaging more Cuban officials
will allow it to identify those who are most likely to
facilitate a democratic transition in Cuba. HMG has
underscored that it remains committed to ensuring that
dialogue between the EU and Cuba produces human rights
improvements.


4. (C) Has the UK made other public statements or undertaken
other governmental actions, such as
resolutions in Parliament condemning human rights abuses in
Cuba; or actions in support of civil society in Cuba through
diplomatic missions or other fora?

--Yes. For example, the UK statement on February 5, 2009 for
the Universal Periodic Review of the UN Human Rights Council
recommends "that Cuba refrains from using such laws as those
against dangerousness, enemy propaganda and contempt for
authority to restrict the rights of freedom of expression and
association." The UK's statement contains other
recommendations regarding human rights, such as urging Cuba
to allow "international independent human rights
organizations to visit."

--Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials regularly
cite Cuba in their speeches as the only
non-democratic country in Latin America, as Foreign Secretary
Miliband did in a February 2008 speech
at Oxford University on "The Democratic Imperative." In
HMG's annual Human Rights Report, Cuba is listed as one of
the 21 "Major Countries of Concern," noting particularly the
detention of political prisoners and the lack of
international access to prisons; the systematic denial of
political, civil and economic freedoms; government harassment
and intimidation of dissidents; and the death penalty.
Ministers are frequently called upon to answer questions in
Parliament about Cuban issues including the number of
political prisoners held on the island, and their answers are
generally in synch with USG views. The UK mission in Havana
supports civil society NGOs with small project support, but
seeks to do so in a way that does not overtly antagonize the
regime.

--UK Embassy personnel in Cuba maintain frequent contact with
opposition members there. The British Embassy in Havana
regularly meets members of the opposition, both in Havana and
outside the capital. The UK Embassy monitors events held by
dissidents, such as public meetings or for example,
activities to mark Human Rights Day. The UK Embassy
regularly raises human rights issues in bilateral meetings
with the Cuban government in Havana, London and other fora,
such as the Human Rights Council in Geneva. The UK also
promotes human rights through its public diplomacy activities
in Havana.


5. (SBU) Have there been any high level diplomatic visits
between Cuba and the UK in the past six months?

--No UK Ministers have visited Cuba since 2005. In May 2009,
the FCO's Parliamentary Under Secretary of
State, Gillian Merron, stressed in an oral answer to a
question posed by a Member of Parliament in the
House of Commons that "on the issue of ministerial visits...I
would be delighted to visit Cuba, but the
difficulty is that the Cuban authorities indicate that,
regrettably, they feel it would not be appropriate for
British Ministers to meet the opposition. I hope the
honorable Gentleman understands. Perhaps he would assist me
with this, as we need to see some change in that situation to
allow me or other British Ministers to visit Cuba, in line
with the EU common position."

--Sub-ministerial visits of UK and Cuban officials and
experts do take place in the UK. Cuban Vice Foreign Minister
Caballero called on Foreign Office Minister Meg Munn in April

2008. A Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship visited Havana in October

2008.


6. (C) What is the nature of investments that UK businesses
have in Cuba?

--UK businesses have limited trade ties with Cuba. The FCO
does not maintain detailed records of investments in Cuba by
UK persons or entities.


7. (SBU) Are there any bilateral trade agreements between
the UK and Cuba?

--The FCO is not aware of any bilateral trade agreements
between the UK and Cuba. DFID (the Department for
International Development) does not have a bilateral aid
program in Cuba.


8. (SBU) Are there any exchange programs between the UK and
Cuba, including but not limited to: scholarships for UK
nationals to study in Cuba, Cuban paid medical travel for UK
nationals, and Cuban doctors working in the UK?

--The only HMG exchange program involving Cubans is the
Chevening Scholarship, which is a worldwide program that
brings foreign nationals to UK universities for post-graduate
study in a variety of fields. Individual universities may
have other scholarship programs.

--HMG has no specific program for Cuban doctors to work in
the UK. The FCO is not aware of any medical travel for UK
citizens paid for by the Cuban government.

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LEBARON