US embassy cable - 05MADRID1030

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 001030 
 
SIPDIS 
 
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY 
USINT HAVANA PRIORITY 
USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CCA, DRL/MLA, IO/SHA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2015 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, CU, SP 
SUBJECT: SPAIN ON CUBA CHR RESOLUTION 
 
REF: SECSTATE 44494 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Bob Manzanares; reason 1.4 (B) 
 
1. (C) Charge met with MFA Director General for Foreign 
Policy (P equivalent) Rafael Dezcallar to discuss reftel 
points and urge Spain to co-sponsor the Cuba human rights 
resolution at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights. 
Dezcallar noted that Spain is not a voting member on the CHR 
this year, but said Spain is "analyzing" the USG draft Cuba 
resolution.  He said he expects the GOS to support the Cuba 
resolution in line with Spain's previous votes in favor of 
such resolutions, however he thought it unlikely that Spain 
would co-sponsor the USG-tabled resolution.  Charge asked 
whether Spain would help lobby in favor of the resolution in 
Latin America and in the EU.  Dezcallar was non-committal, 
stating simply that Spain would continue to press Cuba on 
human rights issues and will consult with its EU partners 
before deciding its approach on the CHR resolution. 
Dezcallar said the final decision will fall to Foreign 
Minister Moratinos, who is out of Madrid until March 17. 
 
2. (C) Dezcallar noted Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez 
Roque's public call for the EU to distance itself from the 
USG-tabled resolution during his March 14-15 visit to Madrid. 
 Perez Roque told the GOS that Cuba would consider initiating 
a formal dialogue with the EU on human rights, allow the 
visit to Cuba of EU commissioners, and consider signing the 
Convention on Social and Economic Rights and the Convention 
on Political Rights "if the EU declined to join the 
condemnation of Cuba in Geneva."  According to Dezcallar, the 
MFA requested more information from Perez Roque regarding the 
specific steps Cuba would be willing to take to this end, 
information Spain does not expect Cuba to provide any time 
soon.  Dezcallar said Spain had impressed on Perez Roque the 
need for the Cuban government to release political prisoners 
and open up political space for dissidents.  He pointed to 
the upcoming meeting between EU heads of mission in Havana 
and Cuban opposition leaders (week of March 21) as evidence 
that the EU is following through on its promise to increase 
contacts with dissidents to counter-balance its increased 
engagement with the GOC. 
 
//COMMENT// 
 
3. (C) The Socialist-aligned "El Pais" newspaper slammed 
Perez Roque for suggesting the quid pro quo described by 
Dezcallar, so it is puzzling that the GOS would even hint at 
a willingness to entertain discussions with the Cuban 
government regarding its support of a CHR resolution.  In 
this context, it seems unlikely that Spain will assist us in 
rallying support for the Cuba resolution, but with 
indications that the UK and other EU countries will support 
the USG Cuba resolution, it is equally unlikely that Spain 
will lobby against it. 
MANZANARES