US embassy cable - 04DUBLIN959

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000959 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CCA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/28/2009 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, ETTC, EUN 
SUBJECT: IRELAND'S CUBA POLICY: RESPONSE TO TITLE III 
WAIVER REVIEW 
 
REF: A) STATE 135512 B) BRUSSELS 2733 
 
Classified By: DCM Jane B. Fort, reason 1.4 (d) 
 
1.   (C)  Per ref A, Ireland has used its January-June 2004 
EU Presidency to maintain a tougher EU line on Cuba in 
support of democracy and human rights.  During its 
Presidency, Ireland led the annual re-evaluation of the 
Common Position. which renewed the criticisms of the Castro 
regime from the prior year.  DFA First Secretary for Latin 
America and the Caribbean Jonathan Conlon told Poloff that 
the "political freeze" had blocked dialogue with and EU aid 
to Cuba, but that Ireland would not be deterred in advancing 
the Common Position goals of democratic reform. 
 
2.   (SBU)  Conlon referred to statements issued by the Irish 
EU Presidency in May and June of this year, condemning the 
trials and sentencing of human rights activists and 
journalists, and calling on the Cuban authorities to release 
all political prisoners. 
 
3.  (C)  Ireland shares our goals and objectives of reform in 
Cuba, and has worked hard - and successfully - throughout its 
Presidency to repair and renew TransAtlantic cooperation on 
foreign policy.  We agree with USEU's assessment (ref B) that 
an imposition of Title III measures against Ireland, as an EU 
member, would be highly counterproductive to our efforts to 
work cooperatively with the Irish and the EU to sustain 
pressure on the Castro regime. 
KENNY