VZCZCXRO2938
PP RUEHLN RUEHPOD RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHMO #3576/01 3451515
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101515Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1079
INFO RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 003576 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/RUS AND WHA/CCA (DAVID MCFARLAND) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIA REVIEW FOR SUSPENSION OF TITLE III OF THE 
LIBERTAD ACT 
 
REF: A. STATE 126578 
     ¶B. MOSCOW 3526 
     ¶C. MOSCOW 1500 
 
THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  NOT FOR 
DISTRIBUTION OUTSIDE USG CHANNELS OR FOR POSTING ON THE 
INTERNET. 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1. (SBU) In response to reftel, GOR support for democracy and 
human rights in Cuba has been minimal.  Both President 
Medvedev and Deputy PM Sechin have visited Cuba within the 
last six months, but the visits produced no major political 
or economic agreements.  Despite these efforts to strengthen 
ties with Cuba, Russia's economic relations with Cuba remain 
limited.  Russia provided humanitarian hurricane assistance 
to Cuba.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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Limited Democracy and Human Rights Efforts 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) We are not aware of any GOR action to promote the 
advancement of democracy and human rights, to condemn human 
rights abuses, or to support the development of civil society 
in Cuba. 
 
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High Level Diplomatic Visits 
---------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Following the APEC Summit in Peru in November, 
President Medvedev, accompanied by FM Lavrov, visited Cuba 
and met with President Raul Castro and former President Fidel 
Castro (Ref B).  Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin, who 
oversees the energy sector, has also visited Cuba four times 
within the last six months.  During Sechin's August visit, he 
led a delegation of several Cabinet Ministers (including the 
Energy, Telecommunications, and Education and Science 
Ministers) and leading Russian businessmen, including Gazprom 
Deputy CEO Alexander Medvedev.  None of these visits produced 
any meaningful agreements, either political or economic. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque visited 
Moscow in November.  The visit also had little impact.  Cuban 
President Raul Castro is expected to visit Moscow during the 
first quarter of 2009. 
 
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Investment and Trade Relations 
------------------------------ 
 
¶5. (SBU) As noted above, President Medvedev's and Deputy PM 
Sechin's visits to Cuba have produced few concrete agreements 
on economic cooperation.  During Sechin's trip in August, he 
co-chaired a Russian-Cuban Intergovernmental Committee on 
Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, which 
discussed potential cooperation in energy, mining, transport, 
shipbuilding, agriculture, tourism, health care, 
communications and banking.  There were no specific deals 
executed in any of these areas.  In the past six months, the 
countries have signed several agreements in 
telecommunications, automobile production, nickel extraction, 
and oil and gas extraction, all of which provide for only 
general cooperation. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Beyond these general agreements, Cuba has agreed to 
purchase a handful of Russian-made aircraft, and the Russian 
truck manufacturer Kamaz is reportedly in talks with Cuban 
officials about the possibility of opening a truck assembly 
factory in Cuba.  Russia has also provided Cuba with a $300 
million dollar loan at a below-market rate of interest, on 
the condition that Cuba use the loan proceeds to purchase 
Russian goods and services.  We are not aware of any GOR or 
Russian private sector participation in the November 3 Havana 
Trade Fair. 
 
¶7. (SBU) In 2007, Russian-Cuban two-way trade totaled $363 
million.  Bilateral trade exceeded $207 million in the first 
half of 2008, an increase of almost 20% compared to the first 
half of 2007.  Russia's principal exports to Cuba are 
aircraft, heavy machines and equipment.  Cuba's principal 
exports to Russia are sugar, pharmaceuticals, medical 
equipment, and cigars. 
 
 
MOSCOW 00003576  002 OF 002 
 
 
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Humanitarian Assistance 
----------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Russia was one of the first countries to send 
humanitarian aid to Cuba following Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, 
reportedly sending a total of four planeloads with over 60 
tons of humanitarian supplies in early September.  During one 
of his visits to Cuba, Russian Deputy PM Sechin toured areas 
affected by the hurricanes, promised more Russian assistance, 
and noted the need to rebuild Cuba's electricity generation 
system. 
 
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Exchange and Medical Programs 
----------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Russian officials have made general statements about 
the potential for closer cooperation between Russia and Cuba 
in health care, including the possibility of greater 
pharmaceutical purchases from Cuba.  Russian drug makers 
Pharmstandard and Pharmapark recently agreed with Cuba's 
Center of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnologies to 
cooperate on vaccine production in Russia. 
RUBIN