VZCZCXRO2493
PP RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS RUEHTM
DE RUEHME #6005/01 3372017
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 032017Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9748
INFO RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA PRIORITY 0094

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MEXICO 006005 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
PASS TO WHA/CCA 
WHA/MEX FOR LIZ WOLFSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU MX
SUBJECT: MEXICO REVIEW FOR SUSPENSION OF TITLE III OF 
LIBERTAD ACT 
 
REF: STATE 158768 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (U) Post supports continued waiver of Title III provisions 
of the Libertad Act for Mexico.  The Government of Mexico 
(GOM) is optimistic that a debt settlement with Cuba will be 
reached in the near future.  There are small exchange 
programs between the two countries. Mexico continues to 
promote respect for human rights in Cuba and in the region as 
President Calderon seeks to strengthen his government's 
relationship with Cuba.  Mexico's and Cuba's Foreign 
Secretaries have discussed a possible reciprocal visit.  End 
 
SIPDIS 
Summary 
 
Mexican Investment in Cuba 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Mexican investment in Cuba is principally geared 
towards the agricultural and food sectors, the tourism 
sector, and the construction sector. The Havana branch of the 
Mexican International Development Bank, BANCOMEXT, has been 
closed since 2005.  The Bank of Cuba and other entities still 
have approximately 500 million USD in outstanding Mexican 
debt.  Mexico's new Ambassador to Cuba, Enrique Gabriel 
Jimenez Remus, has stated that there will be ongoing 
negotiations during December in hopes of reaching a debt 
settlement before the end of 2007. 
 
Bilateral Trade Agreements 
-------------------------- 
 
3.(U) In July 2002 Mexico and Cuba entered into a 
Complementary Economic Agreement (ACE-51).  ACE's are similar 
to Free Trade Agreements, but only include some sectors.  In 
2001, Mexico and Cuba signed an Investment Promotion and 
Protection Agreement (APRI).  Both Mexico and Cuba are also 
members of the Latin American Integration Association 
(ALADI).  No new agreements have been signed in recent years. 
 
Exchange Programs Between Mexico and Cuba 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) According to Ricardo Dominguez, the Secretariat of 
Foreign Relations (SRE) Director for Cuban, Haitian and 
Dominican affairs, the governments of Mexico and Cuba have 
several student exchange programs at the post-graduate level. 
 Medical travel to Cuba is usually paid for by individual 
travelers.  From time to time, groups of Cuban teachers work 
on literacy programs in marginalized areas of Mexico. 
 
Promoting Democracy and Human Rights in Cuba 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) GOM officials continue to insist that Mexico prefers 
to use multilateral fora to discuss human rights issues with 
Cuba (or other countries), rather than engage the GOC 
one-on-one.  The Mexican Embassy in Cuba eschews engaging 
with Cuban dissidents on human rights which it believes could 
be construed as interference in Cuba's internal affairs. 
Nevertheless, we do not expect Calderon's administration to 
overlook the issue of human rights on the island.  Shortly 
before assuming office, Foreign Secretary Espinosa 
acknowledged that Cuba suffered from "a difficult human 
rights situation and that there are problems that should be 
addressed, which explains why this subject is brought before 
international fora." 
 
Diplomatic Visits 
----------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Since the August 10, 2005 appointment of Jose 
Ignacio Pina Rojas as Mexico's Ambassador to Cuba, Mexico has 
had an Ambassador resident in Havana.  There have been no 
ministerial level visits to Cuba in the past six months. 
According to Ricardo Dominguez, the Secretariat of Foreign 
Relations (SRE) Director for Cuban, Haitian and Dominican 
affairs, the Secretary of Health is planning a visit within 
the next few months. 
 
¶7. (SBU) President Felipe Calderon has said that he will seek 
a more constructive and less confrontational relationship 
with Cuba than prevailed under the Fox administration. 
Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa met with her Cuban 
counterpart, Felipe Perez Roque on the periphery of the 2007 
United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.  They 
 
MEXICO 00006005  002 OF 002 
 
 
discussed, among other things, an interest in a future 
reciprocal visit by the respective Foreign Secretaries. 
 
 
Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity and the North American 
Partnership Blog at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap / 
GARZA