US embassy cable - 03ROME4924

UNCLAS ROME 004924 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FOR IO/UNO, WHA/CCA AND USUN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, ETRD, CU, IT, UNGA 
SUBJECT: CUBAN RESOLUTION AGAINST US EMBARGO: EU WILL VOTE 
IN FAVOR 
 
REF: SECSTATE 301451 
 
1. (U) ANDREINA MARSELLA, MFA CUBA DESK OFFICER, TOLD POLOFF 
ON OCTOBER 29 THAT, ALTHOUGH HIGHLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE HUMAN 
RIGHTS SITUATION IN CUBA, THE EU WILL VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE 
    CUBAN RESOLUTION. MARSELLA INFORMED POLOFF THAT THE DECISION 
HAD BEEN REACHED DURING AN EU LATIN AMERICA WORKING GROUP 
MEETING IN BRUSSELS ON OCTOBER 28. 
 
2. (U) SHE STATED THAT ALTHOUGH THE EU AGREES THAT THE US 
EMBARGO IS A BILATERAL ISSUE AND THAT THERE ARE GRAVE HUMAN 
RIGHTS CONCERNS IN CUBA, THE EU SUPPORTS FREE TRADE AND DOES 
NOT BELIEVE THE EMBARGO IS THE CORRECT APPROACH TO SOLVING 
CUBA'S HUMAN RIGHTS PROBLEMS. 
 
3. (U) WHEN POLOFF EXPRESSED THE US CONCERN THAT THE CASTRO 
REGIME WILL USE THE VOTE AS AN INDICATION OF EU SUPPORT FOR 
THE CASTRO REGIME, MARSELLA STATED THAT THE EU'S DECLARATION 
OF VOTE WILL UNDERLINE THE EU'S CONCERNS ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS 
AND WILL "URGE LASTING AND SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS IN HUMAN 
RIGHTS IN CUBA." SHE STATED THAT THE VOTE IS IN FAVOR OF FREE 
TRADE, NOT THE REGIME'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS HUMAN RIGHTS. 
MARSELLA CONCLUDED BY SAYING THAT THIS YEAR'S DECISION TO 
SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION WAS MORE DIFFICULT THAN IN THE PAST 
DUE TO CONTINUING HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN CUBA. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME04924 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED