VZCZCXYZ0013
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWL #0073 0581919
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 271919Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5102
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0394
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 5120
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY 0061
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 0293
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0699

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000073 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/ANP, WHA FO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2018 
TAGS: PGOV PREL NZ CU
SUBJECT: US AND NEW ZEALAND ON THE SAME PAGE REGARDING CUBA 
 
REF: STATE 18306 
 
Classified By: Acting DCM Margaret McKean; Reason:  1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C)  On February 27, A/DCM met with MFAT Deputy Secretary 
John McArthur to deliver demarche points.  A/DCM noted that 
the handover to Raul Castro would not constitute systemic 
change; only elections and improvement in human rights will 
signal meaningful progress towards democracy.  McArthur 
agreed with the USG message, noting that the change was 
anticipated over a year ago when Castro's brother took power 
temporarily from the ailing Cuban leader.  Even with his 
brother officially in charge, McArthur predicted that Fidel 
Castro would continue to wield influence from the behind the 
scenes.  He referred to PM Helen Clark's comments regarding 
Raul Castro's selection by the Cuban Assembly, in which the 
PM noted that Fidel Castro's decision to step down had not 
come as a surprise, and that Fidel Castro's continued 
influence "is to be expected."  The Deputy Secretary 
summarized New Zealand's position on the Cuban leadership 
transition by saying that the US and New Zealand "are on the 
same page." 
 
¶2.  (C)  McArthur reminded A/DCM that NZ-Cuban bilateral ties 
are minimal and dominated by NZ dairy exports, which comprise 
an estimated 70 percent of the milk drunk in Cuba.  He noted 
that the GNZ's interest in Cuba is designed to protect those 
trade links as well as to maintain a communication mechanism 
for discussion of human rights and other topics.  The Cuban 
government engages in limited educational exchange programs 
in New Zealand, he added.  New Zealand does not maintain a 
Embassy in Havana; rather, Cuba is covered by GNZ diplomats 
in Mexico.  Cuba's mission in Wellington was only established 
late last year, consisting of its Ambassador, Jose Luis 
Robaina Garcia.  McArthur informed us that a Cuban delegation 
will be visiting New Zealand in mid-March as part of an Asian 
tour.  Head of the delegation will be Ruben Perez Valdes, 
Ambassador and Deputy Director of the Asia and Pacific 
Division.  McArthur speculated that the visit may coincide 
with the official opening of the Cuban Embassy in Wellington, 
adding that a Deputy Chief of Mission is also slated to 
arrive in the near future. 
 
¶3.  (C)  A/DCM thanked the Deputy Secretary for his response, 
noting that the US Embassy appreciates updates on the Cuban 
mission's activities.  McArthur offered that the Cuban 
government's decision to open a mission in either Australia 
or New Zealand had been predicated on a desire to conduct 
greater outreach to the Pacific island nations.  To date, 
however, the GNZ has not detected an uptick in activities, he 
said. 
MCCORMICK