VZCZCXYZ0020
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBH #1096/01 2002057
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 192057Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY NASSAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2908
INFO RUEHBE/AMEMBASSY BELIZE 1273
RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN 5426
RUEHGE/AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN 3540
RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON 8371
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE 3396
RUEHSP/AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN 4552
RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO 2670
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0260
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L NASSAU 001096 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR KJMCISAAC 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2016 
TAGS: PREL CU BF
SUBJECT: BAHAMAS STRENGTHENS DIPLOMATIC TIES TO CUBA 
 
 
Classified By: Acting Political Chief Hugh Simon for Reasons 1.4(b) and 
 (d). 
 
¶1.  (C) SUMMARY: The Bahamas opened an embassy in Cuba July 
¶17.  This expansion of diplomatic ties appears driven by a 
pragmatic goal of addressing chronic Cuban migration issues. 
However, as a result of embarrassing incidents involving 
Cuban migrants, The Bahamas' vote for Cuba on the United 
Nations Human Rights Council, and the opening of the embassy 
in Havana, the Government has come under increasing pressure 
from the opposition and the Bahamian public, making Cuban 
relations a likely election issue.  END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------------- 
BAHAMAS OPENS EMBASSY IN CUBA 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) On July 17, The Bahamas opened an embassy in Havana, 
upgrading its former consulate.  The Embassy will be headed 
by Carlton Wright, former Consul in Havana, who will be 
joined by vice consul Nestor Sands, Defense Attache Oral 
Woods, and vice counsel/second secretary Chanelle Brown. 
 
¶3.  (U) The Bahamian Government believes a physical presence 
in Cuba is necessary to provide consular services to the 
approximately 20,000 Bahamians that travel to Cuba each year, 
to address bilateral migration issues and to avoid a repeat 
of a miscommunication in 1980 between Cuban and Bahamian 
navies that led to the death of Bahamian sailors.  On July 
18, Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell said he planned to use the 
opening of the embassy to rework The Bahamas' current 
migration accord with Cuba, addressing prompt repatriation of 
illegal migrants and better addressing refugee issues. 
 
¶4.  (U) These stated goals are supported by the choice of 
Ambassador to Cuba.  Carlton Wright is a career foreign 
service officer with a background in consular affairs and 
immigration.  He has worked in the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs since 1973, with breaks to serve as Permanent 
Secretary in the Ministry of Justice and as Permanent 
 
SIPDIS 
Secretary in the Ministry of Immigration, where he worked on 
 
SIPDIS 
Cuban migrant issues.  At MFA, he has served as Consul in 
Miami, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs, Undersecretary in charge of Consular Affairs, Charge 
d'Affairs of the Bahamian Embassy in Haiti, advisor to OAS on 
Haitian immigration matters and as Consul in Havana.  He is 
respected for his work on international refugee and migration 
issues. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
MIGRATION DILEMMAS LIKELY A DRIVING FACTOR 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶5.  (U) Illegal migration is one of the most important 
domestic issues in coming elections, which must be held no 
later than May 2007.  The fear that The Bahamas could easily 
be overwhelmed by Cuban or Haitian migrants is frequently 
discussed by Government officials as The Bahamas' primary 
national security concern.  Cuban migrants interdicted in 
Bahamian waters are taken to the Carmichael Road Detention 
Center, where the repatriation process is often painfully 
slow.  Cuban Government delays in approving the return of 
migrants cost The Bahamas hundreds of thousands of dollars, 
and the threat of Cuban refusal to repatriate strikes a 
sensitive cord with Bahamians. 
 
¶6.  (C) In addition to regular embarrassment caused by 
escapes and Florida media attention, Cuban migration issues 
also create significant diplomatic challenges.  The Bahamas 
views itself as a neutral party in international matters, 
unwilling to take sides or criticize other nations.  As said 
by Foreign Minister Mitchell, "it is better for us to stay 
out of the affairs of others."  However, two Cuban dentists 
held at the Detention Center for 11 months, and claimed by 
both Cuba and the US, put the MFA in a position to choose. 
Its inability to make a decision on the fate of the dentists 
created a firestorm of controversy that put Cuba-Bahamian 
relations at the forefront of public discussion. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
CUBA TIES CREATE POSSIBLE ELECTION ISSUE 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (C) While foreign policy has not traditionally been 
central to Bahamian elections, perceived pro-Cuba decisions 
-- the opening of the embassy, the vote for Cuba on the 
United Nations Human Rights Council, the delay in sending the 
Cuban dentists to the US -- have resulted in significant 
local criticism of the Government.  Following The Bahamas' 
vote to put Cuba on the UNHCR, Ambassador Rood penned a 
strong op-ed discussing the need for governments to reflect 
their internal values in international fora.  That theme has 
been picked up by opposition party and the editorial boards 
of the two main newspapers, resulting in pressure on Foreign 
Minister Fred Mitchell and the Christie government.  As said 
by Leader of the Opposition Hubert Ingraham to the press 
following the UNHCR vote, "If the FNM were in office, Cuba 
would not have had the nerve or the gumption to ask us to 
vote for them." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
RELATIONS ARE WITHIN CARICOM AND G-77/NAM FRAMEWORK 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶8.  (C) COMMENT:  The Bahamas relationship with Cuba, while 
expanding, is largely pragmatic.  The need to work closely 
with Cuba on migration issues is real.  Other aspects of the 
relationship are consistent with the actions of a committed 
member of G-77/NAM and a Foreign Minister dedicated to 
maintaining strong relations with all of The Bahamas' 
neighbors.  However, current Bahamian interest in Cuba also 
has an ideological aspect.  In response to criticism of The 
Bahamas' vote for Cuba on the UNHCR, Mitchell defended Cuba 
as a great friend, and said of Cuba, "no other country, 
unsolicited, has offered the level of assistance to this 
country, assistance that is not of direct benefit to the 
country offering the assistance."  And while easy to dismiss 
as rhetorical participation in CARICOM, The Bahamas has been 
willing to strongly criticize US foreign policy towards Cuba 
in a manner not necessarily consistent with its protestations 
of pure neutrality.  Nevertheless, we expect The Bahamas to 
employ its Cuba relationship gently as a sort of ideological 
balance reinforcing Bahamian independence from the US, but 
primarily as a pragmatic tool to address consular and 
migration concerns. END COMMENT. 
ROOD