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Viewing cable 08THEHAGUE450, NETHERLANDS/CUBA: SOLIDARITY DAY OUTREACH

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08THEHAGUE450 2008-05-28 11:08 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy The Hague
VZCZCXRO4755
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHTC #0450 1491108
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 281108Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1521
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0061
UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000450 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KDEM KPAO PHUM NL CU
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/CUBA: SOLIDARITY DAY OUTREACH 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 51536 
 
     B. THE HAGUE 388 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY: Following up on reftels A and B, post placed 
an op-ed piece with a major Dutch paper (para 2) and hosted a 
coffee with a Dutch NGO (para 3) to draw attention to the 
human rights situation in Cuba.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (U) PLACEMENT OF OP-ED: On May 21, the Dutch dailQDe 
Volkskrant, web edition, posted "Day of Solidarity with the 
Cuban People" (in Dutch) under the byline of the Charge 
d'Affaires.  De Volkskrant is the leading morning daily in 
the Netherlands, and its web edition is the leading newspaper 
website. 
 
3. (SBU) MEETING WITH NGO: Post invited the outgoing Dutch 
ambassador to Cuba and six NGOs to a May 21 coffee with the 
Charge to discuss human rights in Cuba.  Kees van Kortenhof, 
president of Glasnost in Cuba, was the only individual 
available to participate; he met with Charge, the Public 
Affairs Counselor, and poloff for 45 minutes.  Charge shared 
U.S. views, and Van Kortenhof responded: 
 
-- Dissidents Divided:  Van Kortenhof visited Cuba in March 
this year, when he found a "generation gap" between more 
senior dissidents (e.g. Ms. Roca) and youth.  There is a wide 
range of views.  Many dissidents are growing older, and there 
is a growing rivalry among dissident groups.  Mr. Giovanni 
says he'll "give Raul no more than two months" to show he's 
reforming.  Mr. Oscar Chepa, who happens to be very good with 
economic and statistical information on Cuba, is more 
optimistic.  Ms. Roca is less optimistic. 
 
-- Reforms so far appear to be cosmetic:  Although reforms 
announced so far by the GOC appear to be "for the stage," 
there may be something "deeper" under way.  For example, this 
month the government permitted a protest by gays.  The Dutch 
ambassador told Van Kortenhof that Raul Castro that he 
doesn't want "big problems" with Europe, so he permits Van 
Kortenhof to visit and meet with dissidents.  The sign that 
true reforms are taking place would be the release of 
political prisoners.  So far there's no sign that the 
government is easing pressure on dissidents.  El Pais in 
Spain reported that Cuba would end the required tarjeta 
blanca for Cubans to leave the country. 
 
-- U.S. should downplay embargo but use it to leverage 
reform:  Van Kortenhof supports the U.Q emphasis on 
political prisoners.  He also believes governments should 
have conditions on dialogue with Cuba -- some positive action 
should be expected from the regime.  Van Kortenhoff thinks 
discussions of the U.S. embargo  are not effective.  At the 
same time, the U.S. should not lift the embargo without 
conditions. 
 
-- Europe's reaction:  Germany and the Czech Republic are 
more likely to be good partners to the U.S. approach.  Spain 
is open to using the cosmetic changes in Cuba to support a 
change in EU policy, as is Belgium, where there are some 
groups willing to support Castro.  In the Netherlands, some 
groups, and members of the foreign ministry, are willing to 
weaken restrictions on Cuba.  However, FM Verhagen appears to 
take the right approach.  The average Dutch person doesn't 
focus on Cuba, but Dutch tourists and NGOs do work to provide 
books to the independent libraries in Cuba. 
 
-- Van Kortenhof's personal history:  He worked on Latin 
America issues for a Christian trade union for 15 years, 
during which time he followed the principle of "no 
interference" by the Soviet Union or the United States in 
domestic politics.  In 1989, he visited Cuba and met with 
government officials, who promised reforms and openness along 
the lines of eastern Europe.  However, he later learned that 
the Cuban government prohibited access to Moscow publications 
that reviewed perestroika initiatives.  At that time, he 
founded "Glasnost in Cuba."  His foundation tries to present 
a "range" of dissident viewpoints on its web site. 
Gallagher