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Viewing cable 08HAVANA362, REMARKS BY CUBAN OPPOSITION LEADER TO POTUS

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08HAVANA362 2008-05-07 13:14 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED US Interests Section Havana
VZCZCXRO7424
OO RUEHAO RUEHCD RUEHGA RUEHGD RUEHGR RUEHHA RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG
RUEHNL RUEHQU RUEHRD RUEHRG RUEHRS RUEHTM RUEHVC
DE RUEHUB #0362/01 1281314
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 071314Z MAY 08
FM USINT HAVANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3200
INFO RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS
RUCOWCV/CCGDSEVEN MIAMI FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUCOGCA/COMNAVBASE GUANTANAMO BAY CU
RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUEKJCE/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HAVANA 000362 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT WHA FOR TOM SHANNON, KIRSTEN MADISON, CALEB MCCARRY 
NSC FOR DAN FISK, MIKE KOZAK 
COMMERCE FOR SECRETARY GUTIERREZ 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON PGOV KDEM PREL CU
SUBJECT: REMARKS BY CUBAN OPPOSITION LEADER TO POTUS 
 
1.  Following is an unofficial translation of remarks made by 
prominent opposition leader Martha Beatriz Roque Cabello 
during a video teleconference with President Bush on May 6. 
Original Spanish version will follow septel. 
 
2.  (Begin unofficial translation). First I'd like to thank 
you on behalf of those here today for this historical 
opportunity not only with you, your staff but also with Mr. 
Parmly of the US. Interests Section in Cuba and his staff. 
 
I would like to acknowledge that we are aware of your 
efforts, during your two terms, to assist in the 
re-establishment of democracy in Cuba and you should know 
that you are the President who has been closest to achieving 
that end. 
 
Democracy in Cuba will have to come from within and the 
internal opposition is the spearhead that can help bring it 
about. 
 
I would like to address the current situation in the country, 
which to some may appear confusing, but to those us who have 
been observing the behavior of this dictatorship for so many 
years, we can describe it as more of the same. 
 
The regime is willing to yield slightly in the economic and 
social areas, but not the political realm; Raul Castro wants 
to enjoy his few remaining years in power and will not allow 
concessions that may affect his stability in power. 
 
However, up until now, he has removed senseless prohibitions 
and tried to encourage farmers to increase agricultural 
production, which was practically abandoned. 
 
The social situation is becoming more critical for the 
government, and it knows that the possibility exists for the 
social situation to explode.  It is for this reason that the 
government fears the opposition on the streets, because from 
a small spark, a big problem can emerge. 
 
The state of deterioration in the country is irreversible 
without resources, and the regime will not use the few 
resources it has available to address this problem.  The 
people, and specially the youth, don't see their future in 
Cuba. 
 
Our challenge is to take advantage of each new opportunity 
that may be presented to us by the elimination of 
prohibitions. 
 
For that we need resources, and despite all the economic 
assistance that your country has provided to us, the 
opposition has not had full access to it.  How can we get one 
million people in the streets if we are unable to gather more 
than 20 at a time due to lack of resources? 
 
We have tried to keep the government in check by distributing 
human rights declarations in the streets, but between one 
effort and another, sometimes months have to go by, before we 
can gather money to pay for the expenses that these events 
incur. 
 
I believe that you, Mr. President, can give us the help we 
need, so that those of us who peacefully fight can accelerate 
the coming of a transition.  For although it is correct to 
say that the exile community has made efforts to help, and 
documents and projects have been put forward to further our 
actions - to take place after the change (regime collapse) - 
the time between now and the transition must be shortened. 
This is completely our responsibility but it also 
indisputably depends on the help that you can give us.  The 
internal opposition is now more mature and cohesive, although 
it maintains its political diversity. 
 
I believe your country should not carry this burden alone, 
but that it should be shared with other countries in the 
world that are friends of democracy and advocates of human 
rights, particularly the European Union. 
 
 
HAVANA 00000362  002 OF 003 
 
 
It would be very important that your allies in Europe stop 
being guided by the Spanish policy of "patting (the regime) 
on the back", which in the past few months has resulted in 
high officials coming to Cuba and completely ignoring the 
opposition just to please the dictatorship. 
 
I would like to alert you that, among the prohibitions the 
government plans to lift and announce through its obscure 
methods, is the well known "white card" (tarjeta blanca), 
which limits the exit of Cubans from the country.  This is a 
means to threaten your country, as its abolishment would 
cause a massive exodus, something the government has been 
pursuing for several months, and which we have previously 
warned against. 
 
For the Raul Castro administration, the key issue is to 
remove from the picture those who could, at a certain moment, 
take to the streets and in this particular case, the youth. 
They will try to obtain visas through other countries, giving 
priority to Central and South America to eventually reach 
U.S. borders.  I believe Mexico will be particularly 
vulnerable to illegal Cuban migrants, but others will try to 
cross the border through Canada, given the possibility it 
offers to obtain work permits. 
 
However the possibility that routes through European or Asian 
countries will be used cannot be discounted. 
 
For a long time the exile community has used the argument 
that resources cannot be given to the government.  As a 
result, remittances and family travel to Cuba were 
restricted.  I can assure you that at the time these 
decisions were made I was totally in agreement with them. But 
times have changed and today Cubans need resources more than 
ever.  Among other things, we need to prove that the sale of 
a few pieces of equipment, which is giving world the wrong 
impression about openness -- as portrayed by the 
international press -- is a fallacy.  Visiting Cuban 
Americans would put an end to this by purchasing for their 
families the few reserves that the regime can afford to 
import.  The Cubans would feel like people, since at this 
moment they are "made into non-persons" and the pressure for 
the government to lift more prohibitions would increase. 
 
I know that the exile community and most of the 
Cuban-American congressmen disagree, but I also know that one 
must do what is necessary at a given moment and I can assure 
you that at this moment, when we are so close to achieving 
our objectives, we have to push towards it.  In addition, 
from an inside-Cuba perspective, without wanting to interfere 
in your problems, with the elections fast approaching, it 
would be good to have a unified position on Cuba between the 
two most important political parties, as the exile community 
is not composed only by the most radical organizations in 
Miami, but also by those who are not involved in politics and 
want to reunite with their families -- which, by the way, 
they already do, but illegally and without the proper 
controls. 
 
Mr. President, it is also important to allow the exit of 
families of political prisoners and dissidents who feel they 
need to emigrate  We know that the government uses this as a 
means to send collaborators and agents to your country, which 
delays the application process.  There are those who have 
helped the opposition and want to immigrate; there are also 
those who join the dissident movement with the sole purpose 
of immigrating.  But working for the cause, if only for a 
short time, is taking on a sufficient risk, as the government 
harasses its opponents relentlessly. 
 
I have not spoken of the political prisoners, for seated next 
to me is an ex-political prisoner who stands as their symbol. 
 We also have the wife of a political prisoner, a Lady in 
White, who with dignity, will be better able to explain to 
you how those who suffer in prison constitute our number one 
priority. 
 
Finally, I would like to congratulate you for your work 
against international terrorism for all these years and 
 
HAVANA 00000362  003 OF 003 
 
 
express that even though some presently disagree with you, 
history will take you to the podium of the rewarded for your 
tireless effort. (End unofficial translation). 
 
 
 
PARMLY