US embassy cable - 03OTTAWA897

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000897 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2013 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, CU, CA, UNHCR-1 
SUBJECT: CANADIAN AMBASSADOR TO RAISE OPPOSITION ARRESTS IN 
HAVANA 
 
REF: A. STATE 75175 B. STATE 10182 C. 02 STATE 185884 
 
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Brian Flora for reasons 1.5 
 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Post delivered ref A talking points to Kimberly Cowan, 
Cuba desk officer in DFAIT's Latin America and Caribbean 
Bureau, on March 24. In a follow-up discussion March 27, 
Cowan advised poloff that Canada is responding as follows to 
the arrests of the opposition members. First, Canada has 
expressed serious concerns about the arrests to 
representatives of Cuba's mission in Ottawa. Second, Canada's 
ambassador in Havana will go to the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs on March 27 and will voice Canada's concerns over the 
arrests in meetings there. Finally, Canada will express 
concern about this series of arrests in its country situation 
statement at CHR-59 in Geneva. 
 
2. (C) Cowan told poloff that Canada's embassy in Havana is 
closely monitoring the situation, and is seeking to draw out 
the nature of the charges and to gain a better understanding 
of why the arrests took place at what would appear to be a 
particularly sensitive time (during the CHR session in 
Geneva). (Note: Cowan (protect source) told poloff that one 
of their embassy's contacts in the Cuban government refers to 
the arrested persons as "mercenaries"  employed by the U.S. 
government. End note.) Cowan said that Canada would not make 
a public statement at this time calling for the release of 
the opposition members.  She indicated that Canada is telling 
the Cuban government privately it considers the arrests a 
"precipitous and excessive" action. 
CELLUCCI