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RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBH #0678/01 1111522
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 211522Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY NASSAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2475
INFO RUEHBE/AMEMBASSY BELIZE 1250
RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN 5389
RUEHGE/AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN 3516
RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON 8328
RUEHPO/AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO 0894
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE 3359
RUEHSP/AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN 4521
RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO 2637
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0225

C O N F I D E N T I A L NASSAU 000678 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR WBENT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2016 
TAGS: ETTC ETRD PREL CU BF
SUBJECT: BAHAMAS REVIEW OF TITLE III OF LIBERTAD ACT 
 
REF: STATE 57782 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission D. Brent Hardt for Reasons 1.4 ( 
b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C) SUMMARY:  Post recommends waiver of the provisions of 
Title III of the Libertad Act for The Bahamas. The Bahamas 
has a cordial relationship with Cuba, generally supports Cuba 
in international fora, and engages in both cultural and 
economic exchanges with Cuba, including promotion of Cuban 
trade.  The Bahamian government justifies its relationship as 
a pragmatic policy needed to address bilateral migration 
issues, provide support to Bahamian travelers and address 
issues of common concern to a nation on their maritime 
border.  The Bahamian government claims to advocate human 
rights concerns to Cuba privately.  The extremely close 
on-going bilateral cooperation between The Bahamas and the 
U.S. in drug interdiction, alien interdiction, anti-terrorism 
and border security matters merits a waiver of the provisions 
of the Libertad Act.  END SUMMARY. 
 
Bahamas-Cuba Relations 
---------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) The Governments of the Bahamas and Cuba maintain 
cordial relations.  The Government of the Commonwealth of The 
Bahamas (GCOB) maintains an embassy in Cuba, believing a 
physical presence is necessary to provide consular services 
to Bahamian citizens in Cuba, to address bilateral migration 
issues and to avoid a repeat of miscommunication such as 
occurred in 1980 between the Cuban and Bahamian navies that 
led to the deaths of several Bahamian sailors. The Government 
of Cuba also maintains an embassy in Nassau. 
 
¶3.  (C) Illegal migration to The Bahamas from Haiti and Cuba 
is one of the country's biggest domestic political issues. 
Illegal Cuban migrants interdicted in Bahamian waters are 
taken to the Carmichael Road Detention Center.  The 
repatriation process tends to move slowly and in small 
numbers, which increases costs to the GCOB to keep the 
migrants detained.  There are sometimes international issues 
surrounding Cuban migrants in The Bahamas, and the GCOB sees 
a pragmatic need to maintain a functioning relationship with 
Cuba to manage repatriation and any concomitant international 
complications. 
 
¶4.  (C) In international fora, the GCOB typically votes as a 
block with CARICOM in favor of maintaining an open dialog 
with Cuba, opposing the U.S. embargo of Cuba and abstaining 
from country-specific human rights resolutions.  Prime 
Minister Perry Christie did not attend the December 2005 
CARICOM-Cuba Summit in Barbados between Fidel Castro and 
Caribbean heads of state, sending Foreign Minister Fred 
Mitchell in his place.  Christie has told the Ambassador and 
other embassy officials that he has spoken out in support of 
democracy and respect for human rights by Cuban authorities 
in his private meetings with Fidel Castro and other senior 
Cuban officials.  Post is unaware of other GCOB support for 
human rights and democracy in Cuba. 
 
Business and Cultural Exchanges are Ongoing 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (C) There is a Havantur office in Nassau.  According to 
the Bahamian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, approximately 
20,000 Bahamians visit Cuba every year.  Additionally, there 
are approximately 150 Bahamian students studying in Cuba on 
scholarship, approximately 20 Bahamians in Cuban prisons and 
over 600 Bahamians who received Cuban-paid health care in 
Cuba last year.  An unknown number of Cuban doctors at work 
in The Bahamas provide thousands of Bahamians with health 
care.  In one effort late last year, Cuban doctors provided 
1,729 eye exams to Bahamians.  Cuban teachers work closely 
with Bahamian authorities, particularly in the area of 
special education.  Cubana de Aviacion offers direct flights 
to Havana from Nassau. 
 
¶6.  (C) Direct Bahamian investment in Cuba is estimated to be 
minimal given the country's exchange controls and economic 
dependence upon the United States.  Third country investment 
in Cuba via Bahamian financial institutions is likely, but 
unknown.  According to the GCOB, The Bahamas imported $1.6 
million in Cuban goods in 2004.  The Bahamas Agricultural and 
Industrial Corporation and the Government of Cuba sponsored a 
Cuban trade show in Nassau in March 2006 featuring 23 Cuban 
companies.  A trip to Cuba for a Bahamian trade show and 
related trade agreements are currently under discussion. 
There are currently no bilateral trade agreements in force. 
 
Recommendation for Waiver 
------------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) In light of the extremely close on-going bilateral 
cooperation between the U.S. and The Bahamas in drug 
interdiction, alien interdiction, anti-terrorism, and border 
security matters, post believes that The Bahamas should 
continue to be granted a waiver from implementation of Title 
III of the Libertad Act. 
 
ROOD