US embassy cable - 05ROME2080

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002080 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/17/2005 
TAGS: ETRD, ETTC, PREL, CU, IT, HUMAN RIGHTS 
SUBJECT: NSC CUBA REVIEW REGARDING SUSPENSION OF TITLE III 
OF THE LIBERTAD ACT: ITALY 
 
REF: STATE 96300 
 
Classified by Polmincounselor Tom Countryman for reasons 1.4. 
(b)(d) 
 
1.  (C) Summary: There have been no dramatic changes in 
Italy's approach to Cuba in the last six months.  Italy 
continues to support the common European Union position and 
has also resisted changes to liberalize it in Havana's favor. 
 Italy supported the U.S. position and played a role in 
helping the U.S. pass resolutions on Cuba at the Human Rights 
Commission. Embassy Rome recommends the continuation of 
Italy's waiver under Title III as essential in helping Italy 
maintain these helpful positions.  End Summary. 
 
2. (C)  Polmincouns discussed Italy's approach to Cuba with 
the new Director General of the Americas Claudio Bisogniero 
on June 13, and on June 16, in more detail with the Director 
of the Caribbean and Central American Office, Paolo Miraglia. 
 
 
Political Developments 
---------------------- 
 
3. (C)  Bisogniero and Miraglia described Italy as seeking to 
maintain a balanced EU position toward Cuba.  Italy continues 
to resist efforts, primarily by Spain, to liberalize the EU 
position to Havana's advantage.  Conversely, Italy is not 
prepared to support or strengthen measures pushed by the 
Czech Republic, Poland, and others.  Italy believes that the 
recent reaffirmation of the EU's policy at the Colat meeting 
this month was the right signal to send to Cuba, expressing 
that EU relations cannot improve absent progress on democracy 
and human rights. 
 
4. (C)  The previously strong public sympathy for Cuba 
continues to erode.  Recent events, such as the expulsion of 
an Italian journalist from Cuba in March, have bolstered 
press and political criticism of Cuba.  Even the left of 
center parties have stepped up their criticism of Cuba's poor 
human rights record. 
 
5. (C)  Minister Miraglia also commented that Italian 
government officials have consciously decided not to allow 
the exchange of high-level political visits with Cuba as long 
as the internal political situation shows no improvement. 
 
Economic Developments 
--------------------- 
 
6. (C)  Miraglia said that in the previous six months there 
have been no important Italian investments or business deals 
in Cuba.  The level of trade remains unchanged, which 
reflects the generally poor political relations between Italy 
and Cuba.  Keeping with its interpretation of the EU Common 
Policy, the Italian Embassy in Cuba remains one of the few 
Italian Embassies that does not maintain a commercial office. 
 
Human Rights Resolutions 
------------------------ 
 
7. (C)  Italy has supported the EU consensus in favor of 
resolutions critical of Cuba.  Moreover, Italy opposed the 
Cuban resolution on Guantanamo.  Bisogniero observed that 
Italy played a role in transforming the EU position on the 
Guantanamo position from initial sympathy to ultimate 
opposition. 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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	2005ROME02080 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL