This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANTO DOMINGO 005409 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CCA AND WHA/CAR-SEARBY; 
NSC FOR FISK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CU ETRD ETTC PREL DR
SUBJECT: CUBA: REVIEW OF LIBERTAD ACT TITLE III SUSPENSION 
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 
 
REF: A. STATE 207359 
 
     ¶B. SANTO DOMINGO 3161 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: This cable responds to Ref A tasking and 
updates the information provided in our last report six 
months ago (Ref B).  President Fernandez in the second year 
of his administration has made no significant change in his 
low-profile approach to Cuban issues.  As in previous years, 
the Dominican Republic joined the UNGA majority in voting for 
a resolution criticizing the U.S. embargo.  Interaction is 
limited to educational, sports, and technical exchanges, 
visits to Cuba by Dominican tourists, and residence in Cuba 
by a few church-affiliated social workers.  A senior 
Dominican official, Higher Education Secretary Ligia Amado de 
Cardona, visited Cuba several months ago to attend the annual 
graduation of approximately 50 Dominican medical students, 
part of an ongoing program.  Embassy considers that U.S. 
national interests and Dominican Government actions justify 
continued renewal of the waiver of Title III of the Libertad 
Act with regard to Dominican businesses. 
 
Dominican Businesses and Cuba 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶2. (SBU) As in our last report (Ref B), Embassy considers 
that U.S. national interests and the actions of the Dominican 
Government 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 
significant trade with Cuba.  A further Embassy inquiry to 
MFA Director of the Americas Francia Sencion has not resulted 
in identification of any Dominican companies or entities with 
investments or joint ventures that would trigger Title III 
concerns.  There continues to be little Dominican investment 
in Cuba, and Embassy has no information about any conflict 
between Dominican investors and U.S. citizens with property 
claims in Cuba.  Embassy has not received any complaints by 
any U.S. citizens against any Dominican company related to 
any investment in Cuba or Dominican Republic-Cuba trade. 
 
Dominican Vote at the UNGA 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶3. (U) The only international organization vote on Cuba in 
the past six months, to Embassy's knowledge, approved the 
annual UNGA resolution criticizing the U.S. embargo on 
economic exchanges with Cuba.  The Dominican Republic joined 
the large majority voting against the United States position. 
. 
 
Cuban-Dominican Technical Cooperation and Exchanges 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶4. (SBU) The administration of President Fernandez, now in 
its second year, has continued to take a low profile on Cuban 
issues.  Technical cooperation is arranged between the 
Technical Secretariat of the Presidency in the Dominican 
Republic and the Ministry of Foreign Investment in Cuba.  An 
official of the Technical Secretariat has informed us that 
currently, approximately 44 Cuban sports trainers are in this 
country helping to train Dominican sports coaches, and about 
18 Dominican technicians in physical education are in Cuba 
performing similar functions.  In October and November, the 
Dominican Ministry of Education sponsored a visit by a Cuban 
expert on adult literacy training, who trained Dominican 
teachers in a program to improve literacy among low-income 
residents, starting in the big capital city barrio of 
Capotillo.  A Cuban psychology professor resident here and 
teaching at a Dominican university showed political officer 
some of the printed training materials, which appeared to be 
technically well done but with an obvious political slant. 
The professor said the literacy trainer had returned to Cuba 
in November, but was expected to return in January to 
continue the project. 
 
¶5. (SBU) According to the MFA, the number of Dominican 
students studying medicine in Cuba continues at about 200-250 
at any time.  The annual graduation of about 50 Dominican 
medical students was attended this year by Dominican 
Secretary of Higher Education Dra. Ligia Amado de Cardona; 
 
SIPDIS 
last year we understand the same event was attended by the 
MFA Americas director. (For further details on the program, 
see Ref B para 5.) 
 
¶6. (SBU) Cuban authorities completed the transfer of the 
first Dominican prisoner to the Dominican Republic under a 
2002 prisoner-exchange accord, and arrangements are being 
made for the transfer of two other Dominicans now in custody 
in Cuba.  MFA Under Secretary for Consular Affairs Rosario 
Graciano told us that the cases involved immigration law 
violations and/or alien smuggling. 
 
¶7. (SBU) According to the Technical Secretariat, the 
Dominican agency (INESPRE) that provides subsidized food to 
low-income persons has agreed to provide technical assistance 
to Cuba on this subject, to begin early in 2006.  Two other 
Dominican Government entities -- the Dominican Petroleum 
Refinery (REFIDOMSA) and the Dominican Telecommunications 
Institute (INDOTEL) are drafting accords with Cuban 
counterparts for technical exchanges, but these have not been 
finalized. 
 
¶8. (SBU) The annual meeting of the Cuban-Dominican Mixed 
Commission, which had been tentatively scheduled for 
September (Ref B para 8), was postponed because the 
principals (Technical Secretary of the Presidency Temistocles 
Montas and the Cuban Minister of Foreign Investment), were 
traveling elsewhere.  The Dominican Technical Secretariat has 
proposed a new date in January and is awaiting a Cuban 
response. 
HERTELL