US embassy cable - 04SANTODOMINGO3825

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 003825 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CCA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, ETTC, CU, DR 
SUBJECT: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - CUBA: COUNTRY-BY-COUNTRY 
REVIEW OF WAIVER OF TITLE III, LIBERTAD ACT 
 
REF: A. (A) STATE 135512 
     B. (B) STATE 100077 (NOTAL) 
 
1. (U)The Dominican Government this year provided decisive 
support to the cause of improving prospects for human rights 
and democracy in Cuba.  Secretary Powell sent a letter to 
President Mejia (Ref B) thanking him for the Dominican 
Republic's "yes" vote on the Cuba resolution in the 60th 
Human Rights Commission meeting in Geneva.  The resolution 
passed by one vote, so the Dominican support was crucial to 
passage.  Equally important was subsequent GODR support for a 
procedural motion that resulted in the withdrawal of a Cuban 
resolution critical of U.S. policy concerning detainees at 
the Guantanamo Naval Base.  Dominican support helped prevent 
the Cuban Government from diverting attention from its 
violations of the human rights of the Cuban people. 
 
2. (SBU) A senior official of the Secretariat of Industry and 
Trade told us June 23 that there is very little Dominican 
investment in Cuba and that he is unaware of any conflict 
between Dominican investors and American citizens with 
property claims in Cuba.  Similarly, Embassy is unaware of 
any complaints by American citizens against any Dominican 
company related to any investment in Cuba or DR-Cuba trade. 
Embassy believes that U.S. national interests and the actions 
of the GODR fully justify a renewal of the waiver of Title 
III of the Libertad Act with regard to Dominican businesses 
that may be involved in joint ventures with the Government of 
Cuba or have significant trading relationships with Cuba. 
 
3. (SBU) Embassy considers that, if the waiver were not 
renewed and an American citizen were to bring suit against a 
Dominican entity under Title III, the extraterritorial reach 
of Title III could affect future Dominican support for 
diplomatic initiatives on behalf of human rights and 
fundamental freedoms in Cuba. 
HERTELL