VZCZCXYZ0015
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0371/01 1341954
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141954Z MAY 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1866
INFO RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0189

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000371 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR IO/UNP - S. EDMONDSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OFDP CVIS UN CU
SUBJECT: CUBA FORMALLY COMPLAINS RE NGO REP'S VISA REFUSAL 
 
¶1. Action request - see paragraph 3. 
 
¶2. Cuba's UN Mission Permrep, Amb. Rodrigo Malmierca, has 
sent a Note Verbale (text in paragraph 5 below) to USUN Host 
Country Affairs expressing concern for the USG's decision to 
deny a visa to Mrs. Fabiola Mora (DPOB 31Jan1953, Cuba), a 
representative of the Cuban NGO Union Nacional de Escritores 
y Artistas de Cuba (National Union of Writers and Artists of 
Cuba, UNEAC), which prevented her from participating in the 
51st Session of the Commission on the Status of Women held in 
NY at UN HQ February 26-March 9, 2007.  The Cuban Permrep 
sent a copy of the Note Verbale under a cover letter (text in 
para 4 below) to the Chair of the UN Committee on Relations 
with the Host Country (a/k/a the Host Country Committee), 
with copies, inter alia, to the Chair of the UN Committee on 
NGOs and the President of ECOSOC.  The Cuban Permrep asks the 
Chair of the Host Country Committee that the letter and the 
text of the Note Verbale be distributed as an official 
document of the Host Country Committee. 
 
¶3. Action Request - USUN seeks Department's guidance for U.S. 
reply to the Cuban Mission's Note Verbale, which USUN will 
ask to circulate as an official document of the Host Country 
Committee. 
 
¶4. Begin Text of May 9, 2007 Cuban Mission Note Verbale-- 
 
The Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations presents 
its compliments to the United States Permanent Mission to the 
United Nations and has the honor to refer to the Host Country 
authorities' decision to deny a visa to a representative of 
the Cuban NGO Union Nacional de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba 
(National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba, UNEAC), 
preventing her from participating in the 51st Session of the 
Commission on the Status of Women, held from February 26 to 
March 9, 2007. 
 
The Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations would 
like to point out that UNEAC has consultative status to 
ECOSOC, and its representatives have actively participated in 
other sessions of the aforementioned Commission. 
 
The National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba informed 
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba on 
the situation and further requested it to denounce the event 
through the Cuban Mission to the United Nations and to 
express its deepest concern for the Host Country authorities' 
arbitrary and unjustified denial of UNEAC's visa to 
participate in the 51 Session of the Commission on the Status 
of Woman. 
 
This time Mrs. Fabiola Mora, from UNEAC's Department of 
International Relations, attended an interview and made the 
corresponding payment for this visa at the United States 
Interests Section to Cuba.  Later on, on 26 February 2007, 
the aforesaid Interest Section informed her that she was 
authorized to enter the United States territory, but she was 
alerted that she wouldn't be able to participate in the 
meeting.  Finally, she received a document denying her visa, 
allegedly because her presence in the United States territory 
was detrimental to the national interests. 
 
Such events contravene the Host Country's obligations 
contained in the Host Country Agreement and further 
contradict the provisions of resolution 1996/31 of ECOSOC. 
 
The aforementioned practice handicap the Cuban NGOs before 
the rest of the NGOs community to contribute to the work of 
the United Nations organs. 
 
The Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations urges 
once again the Host Country to reconsider its position with 
regard to the issues pointed out, in accordance with the 
general principles of international law of equality and 
non-discrimination. 
 
The Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations avails 
itself of this opportunity to renew to the United States 
Permanent Mission to the United Nations the assurances of its 
highest consideration. 
 
End text. 
 
¶5. Begin Text of May 10, 2007 Cuban Mission Permrep cover 
letter to Chair of Host Country Committee - 
 
I have the honor to address you in your capacity as Chairman 
of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country, 
attaching a Note Verbale No. 2017, dated May 9, 2007, 
addressed to the United States Mission to the United Nations 
by the Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations, 
E 
 
expressing our concern for the Host Country authorities' 
decision to deny a visa to a representative of the Cuban NGO 
Union Nacional de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba (National 
Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba, UNEAC), preventing her 
from participating in the 51 Session of the Commission on the 
Status of Women, held from February 26 to March 9, 2007. 
 
I would appreciate that you distribute this letter and text 
of the attached Note Verbale as an official document of the 
Committee on Relations with Host Country. 
 
End text. 
KHALILZAD