US embassy cable - 03GUATEMALA932

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 000932 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/07/2013 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, CU, GT, UNCHR-1 
SUBJECT: GUATEMALA STILL NON-COMMITTAL ON UNHRC CUBA 
RESOLUTION 
 
REF: STATE 86002 
 
Classified By: PolCouns David Lindwall for reason 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) The Ambassador met with Foreign Minister Edgar 
Gutierrez on April 3, and raised reftel talking points 
requesting GOG co-sponsorhip of a UNHRC resolution on Cuba. 
The Ambassador noted that, to avoid unnecessary controversy, 
the draft resolution presented by three Latin American 
countries did not mention the human rights situation in Cuba, 
but rather simply called on the Cuban Government to permit 
the visit of the UNHRC's Special Representative.  The 
Ambassador said that, in view of the recent arrest by Cuban 
authorities of large numbers of dissidents and human rights 
workers, it would be unconscionable for the world not to 
stand up and call on the Cuban Government to permit the visit 
of the UNHRC's Special Representative.  He appealed to 
Foreign Minister Gutierrez's own past as a human rights 
worker, saying that human rights activists in Cuba depended 
on the solidarity of their hemispheric counterparts, and not 
to support this resolution would be to abandon those seeking 
basic democratic rights in Cuba through peaceful means. 
 
2. (C) Foreign Minister Gutierrez said that the GOG was aware 
of the arrest of large numbers of dissidents in Cuba.  He 
said that Guatemalan-Cuban relations had strengthened in 
2003, and that Guatemala hoped to use this improvement for 
"constructive engagement" with Cuba on a number of issues, 
including human rights.  He said the GOG believes past UNHRC 
resolutions have been ineffective, and wants to consider 
options that might produce better results.  The Ambassador 
replied that Cuban Government intransigence should not be 
used to justify abandonment of dissidents who were putting 
their lives on the line for their democratic beliefs, and 
pressed Gutierrez to give a more precise indication of how 
the GOG is coming out on this issue.  Gutierrez took refuge 
in saying the GOG has not made a decision on how it will 
address the Cuba resolution at the UNHRC. 
 
3. (C) PolOff delivered the demarche separately to Acting 
Head of Multilateral Affairs at the MFA Silvia Corado on 
April 3.  Corado was similarly non-committal. 
 
4. (C) Comment:  The arrest of Cuban dissidents has 
embarrassed President Portillo and Foreign Minister 
Gutierrez, who (pressured by FRG leader Rios Montt) are 
inclined not to support the Cuba resolution this year -- 
largely out of pique with us over decertification and our 
perceived opposition to the Rios Montt presidential 
candidacy, and in part because of their personal sympathies 
with the Cuban revolution.  We have built a case in the press 
and with local human rights NGO's for supporting the Cuban 
dissidents, and are using that to keep pressure on the GOG in 
the lead-up to the vote.  We expect the Cubans will also be 
working hard to convince the GOG to support them -- Vice 
President Reyes was seen Sunday showing the Cuban Minister of 
Education around the colonial city of Antigua.  Co-sponsorhip 
is a bridge too far, but a positive vote may not be out of 
range. 
HAMILTON