VZCZCXRO9671
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHHE #0223 1421308
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211308Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4324
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 4742
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0007
UNCLAS HELSINKI 000223
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CCA/DMCFARLAND
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND: REVIEW FOR SUSPENSION OF TITLE III OF THE
LIBERTAD ACT
REF: STATE 52541
(SBU) Post provides the following responses, keyed to
questions in paragraph 5 of reftel:
-- The Government of Finland has no Embassy in Cuba,
almost no bilateral aid projects, and very little
contact with Cuban officials or the Cuban people.
However, Finland worked to promote human rights and
democracy in Cuba by supporting common EU positions
and statements. The GoF also supported civil society
with very limited funding (about USD 100,000 in FY
2007) to train Cuban youth NGOs and trade unions on
environmental protection issues and in the basic
principles of market economy.
-- The GoF supported consensus in the EU on statements
regarding human rights abuses in Cuba and in support
of democracy.
-- There have been no high-level visits in the past
six months.
Major Finnish companies such as Wartsila and Nokia
have investments and sell products and services in
Cuba. However, we have no information to suggest that
these businesses have trafficked or that they have any
intention to traffic in confiscated Cuban properties.
-- Finland has no significant bilateral trade
agreements with Cuba.
--3) There are no significant government-funded
student exchanges between Cuba and Finland and no
Cuban-paid medical travel for Finnish nationals that
post is aware of. If any Cuban medical personnel work
in Finland, they are here as a result of economic or
family-based immigration, not/not as part of a Cuban
or Finnish Government-sponsored program.
BARRETT