Cablegate: Timor-Leste Will Vote for Resolution Condemning Cuba

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DE RUEHDT #0352 2990946
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O 260946Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY DILI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3748
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 1000
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA IMMEDIATE 0028
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 0112
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 3148

UNCLAS DILI 000352

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STATE FOR EAP/MTS AND IO/USUN - MARIZ

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNGA PREL PHUM ETRD CU TT
SUBJECT: TIMOR-LESTE WILL VOTE FOR RESOLUTION CONDEMNING CUBA
EMBARGO

REF: A) STATE 00148506, B) 00148553

1. (SBU) Ambassador met October 26 with Foreign Minister
Zacarias Albano da Costa to urge that Timor-Leste vote against
Cuba's UNGA resolution condemning the U.S. embargo (reftel A).
Citing the President's recent speech (reftel B), we said that
the Castro regime is continuing its longstanding practices of
political repression, human rights violations, and economic
mismanagement. We argued that by shifting the focus on to the
embargo, the Cuban regime was attempting to blame outside actors
for its failed policies and deplorable conditions in the country.

2. (SBU) Da Costa said he shared our concerns, but that
Timor-Leste would, as in past years, vote to support Cuba's
resolution. He had already instructed Timor-Leste's Mission to
the U.N. to that effect. He said that Timor-Leste would,
however, make a statement of vote expressing concern over the
Cuban regime's human rights record

RECTOR

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