US embassy cable - 03ROME5583

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 005583 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT. FOR WHA/CCA, DRL AND EUR/WE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2013 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, CU, IT, HUMAN RIGHTS 
SUBJECT: CUBAN CHARM OFFENSIVE: USUAL AUDIENCE PRIMED, BUT 
NO PERFORMERS YET 
 
REF: STATE 334414 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: DCM EMIL SKODON, REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (C) WE REVIEWED DEVELOPMENTS IN CUBA WITH MFA UNDER 
    SECRETARY MARGHERITA BONIVER DECEMBER 9 IN THE COURSE OF A 
WIDE-RANGING CONVERSATION, NOTING THAT WE'D SEEN SOME 
INDICATIONS THAT CASTRO WAS POISED TO LAUNCH A NEW CHARM 
OFFENSIVE.  BONIVER SAID SHE'D SEEN NO INDICATION OF ANY 
PROPOSED VISITS BY CUBAN OFFICIALS BUT ACKNOWLEDGED 
COLLEAGUES IN THE MFA'S WESTERN HEMISPHERE DIVISION WOULDN'T 
NECESSARILY THINK TO ALERT HER TO SUCH A VISIT.  STILL, SHE 
WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF A CUBAN DELEGATION INCLUDED A STOP 
IN ITALY ON ANY SWING THROUGH EUROPE.  DESPITE LAST SUMMER'S 
DIPLOMATIC DUST-UP, AND THE CUBAN CRACKDOWN THAT PRECIPITATED 
IT, CASTRO STILL HAD MANY ADMIRERS AMONG THE ITALIAN LEFT. 
MEMORIES OF THE SPRING CRACKDOWN AND EXECUTIONS WERE FADING, 
AND SOME LEFTIST PARLIAMENTARIANS AND COMMENTATORS WERE 
CLEARLY INCLINED TO REVERT TO OLD HABITS.  BONIVER PROMISED 
TO ALERT US TO ANY PROPOSED VISITS; IN TURN, SHE ASKED US TO 
PROVIDE ADVANCE WARNING IF WE HEARD A CUBAN DELEGATION WAS 
CONTEMPLATING A VISIT -- OFFICIAL OR PRIVATE -- TO ITALY. 
 
2. (C) COMMENT: WE DOUBT THE MFA WOULD LOOK FAVORABLY ON AN 
OFFICIAL CUBAN VISIT ANYTIME SOON, BUT THERE ARE PLENTY OF 
OTHERS WHO STILL WOULD WELCOME A PRIVATE VISIT.  A 
LONG-STANDING CRITIC OF THE CASTRO REGIME, BONIVER IS PART OF 
THE REASON THE ITALIAN LEFT FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGED CUBA'S 
MASSIVE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES LAST SPRING AND CRITICIZED THE 
CASTRO REGIME.  SHE IS CLEARLY PREPARED TO REPRISE THAT ROLE, 
IF NECESSARY, TO TRY TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT OF ANY "PRIVATE" 
VISITS. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME05583 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL