DOS Cable re: State Department Daily Press Briefing, March 1, 2002

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State Department cable distributes transcript from the February 27, 2002 press conference where a variety of subjects were addressed. Among the issued raised were: i) Cubans forced removal from Mexican Embassy; ii) Human rights in Cuba; and iii) coca & poppy cultivation in Columbia.

Doc_type: 
Cable
Doc_date: 
Friday, March 1, 2002
Doc_rel_date: 
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Doc_text: 

Current Class: UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED Page: 1
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Document Number: 2002STATE040575 Channel: n/a
47:145

PTQ7898

UNCLASSIFIED

040575 012217Z
ORIGIN WHA-00

PAGE 01 STATE RELEASED IN FULL
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INFO LOG-00 NP-00 INL-00

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10-00 VCE-00 DCP-01 PA-00

NSCE-00 OIC-02 IRM-00
SS-00 SNIS-00 NISC-0O DRL-02

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/006R

040575
SOURCE: CBLEXCLS.006250
DRAFTED BY: WHA/PDA:LSHAMILTON -- 03/01/2002 647-4726
APPROVED BY: WHA/PDA:CVBARCLAY
PA: RBOUCHER (SUBS)
DESIRED DISTRIBUTION:
DRL/BA-DMTITUS, H-MTREJO, NSC-FARMSTRONG

6E3C47 012218Z /38
P R 012208Z MAR 02
FM SECSTATE WASHDC

TO WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY DUBLIN PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY LISBON PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY
AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY
USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY

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040575 012217Z
INFO AMCONSUL CIUDAD JUAREZ
AMCONSUL NUEVO LAREDO
AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
AMCONSUL TIJUANA
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
USCINCTRANS INTEL CEN SCOTT AFB IL
USCINCLANTFLT NORFOLK VA
USCINCSO MIAMI FL
USCINCSO MACDILL AFB FL //POLAD

PAGE 02 STATE

Current Class: UNCLASSIFIED Page: 1

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE

UNCLASSIFIED
.Current Class: UNCLASSIFIEVNCLASSIFIED Page: 2
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Document Number: 2002STATE040575 Channel: n/a

UNCLAS STATE 040575

ALL POSTS FOR PAO, USSOCOM FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC, KPAO
SUBJECT: WHA GUIDANCE, MARCH 1, 2002

SUMMARY OF CONTENTS:

1.
WHA PRESS GUIDANCE, MARCH 1 (CUBA/MEXICO)

2.
INL PRESS GUIDANCE, MARCH 1 (COLOMBIA)

3.
S/WCI PRESS GUIDANCE, MARCH 1 (DETAINEES/GUANTANAMO)
END SUMMARY.

1. WHA PRESS GUIDANCE, MARCH 1, 2002

-- CUBA: CUBAN RUSH ON MEXICAN EMBASSY --

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040575 012217Z

PAGE 03.STATE.

Q: ANY COMMENT ON THE FORCED REMOVAL FROM THE MEXICAN
EMBASSY IN HAVANA OF THE GROUP OF CUBANS THAT ENTERED
YESTERDAY?

A: WE ARE AWARE OF THE ACTION.

NOW THAT THE 21 INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN RETURNED TO CUBAN

AUTHORITIES, THEY MUST BE TREATED JUSTLY, TRANSPARENTLY,
.WITHOUT REPRISALS AND IN ACCORD WITH INTERNATIONAL

HUMANITARIAN STANDARDS.

IN THIS REGARD, THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT MUST TREAT THE 21 IN

FULL ACCORD WITH HUMANITARIAN PRACTICE AND MEXICO'S

COMMITMENT TO STRICT HUMAN RIGHTS OBSERVANCE. WE, THE MEXICAN

GOVERNMENT AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WILL MONITOR

CLOSELY.

Q: WHAT ABOUT THE DOZENS OF CUBANS ARRESTED AND BEATEN BY
CUBAN SECURITY FORCES? THE BEATINGS OF THE REUTERS
CORRESPONDENT AND HIS PHOTOGRAPHER?

A: CUBAN GOVERNMENT POLICE AND REGIME-BACKED THUGS BEAT
SCORES OF CUBANS WHO GATHERED AROUND THE MEXICAN EMBASSY ON
FEBRUARY 26-27. DOZENS OF CUBANS WERE DETAINED.

WE CONDEMN THESE ACTIONS, AND CALL FOR THE RELEASE OF THE

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DETAINEES.

WE ARE ALSO SHOCKED BY, AND UNRESERVEDLY CONDEMN, THE CUBAN
POLICE BEATINGS OF FOREIGN REPORTERS DURING THE FEBRUARY 27
INCIDENT.

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 STATE 040575 012217Z

Q: WHAT DOES THIS INCIDENT SAY ABOUT THE CUBAN REGIME?

A: THE BEATINGS AND DETENTIONS OF INNOCENTS IS A REFLECTION
OF THE ABYSMAL POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION FACED BY THE
CUBAN GOVERNMENT, A SITUATION CREATED BY 43 YEARS OF
POLICE-STATE RULE.

THE ONLY REAL SOLUTION TO INCIDENTS LIKE THESE IS AN

IMPROVEMENT IN CUBA'S HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION.

AT THE UPCOMING UN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS MEETING IN
GENEVA, THE COMMISSION NEEDS TO ONCE AGAIN ADOPT A
RESOLUTION CALLING FOR CHANGE IN CUBA.

Q: ANY COMMENT ON THE ATTACKS ON RADIO MARTI'S HANDLING OF
PS CASTANEDA'S REMARKS?

A: RADIO MARTI AND OTHER MEDIA REPORTED ON FOREIGN SECRETARY
CASTANEDA'S VISIT TO MIAMI. RADIO MARTI IS A PROFESSIONAL
MEDIA OUTLET THAT REPORTEDLY THE STORY ACCURATELY.

WE WELCOME THE MEXICAN FOREIGN MINISTRY'S FEBRUARY 27
STATEMENT, REPEATING FOREIGN SECRETARY CASTANEDA'S REMARK
THAT MEXICO'S EMBASSY REMAINS OPEN TO ALL CUBAN CITIZENS,
INCLUDING DISSIDENTS.

WE HOPE THAT ALL EMBASSIES IN HAVANA MAINTAIN AND EXPAND
RELATIONS WITH DISSIDENTS AND OTHER INDEPENDENT VOICES IN
CUBA.

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 05 STATE 040575 0122172

2. INL PRESS GUIDANCE, MARCH 1, 2002

-- COLOMBIA: LACK OF COCA AND OPIUM POPPY STATISTICS --

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Q: THE INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT DOES
NOT HAVE COCA/OPIUM CULTIVATION AND PRODUCTIONS NUMBERS FOR
COLOMBIA? WHY?

A: THE OFFICIAL U.S. GOVERNMENT 2001. COCA AND OPIUM POPPY
CULTIVATION AND PRODUCTION STATISTICS FOR COLOMBIA WERE NOT
AVAILABLE FOR INCLUSION IN THE INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS
CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT. WE HOPE TO HAVE THOSE STATISTICS
SHORTLY.

3. S/WCI PRESS GUIDANCE, MARCH 1, 2002

-- TREATMENT OF DETAINEES IN GUANTANAMO --

Q: COMMENT ON THE TREATMENT OF THE PRISONERS AT GUANTANAMO
(AND THE HUNGER STRIKE)?

A: THE INDIVIDUALS BEING DETAINED AT GUANTANAMO ARE BEING
TREATED HUMANELY CONSISTENT WITH THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS.

EACH DAY THE DETAINEES ARE GIVEN THREE CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE
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PAGE 06 STATE 040575 012217Z

MEALS.

THEY HAVE DAILY OPPORTUNITIES TO SHOWER, EXERCISE AND RECEIVE

MEDICAL ATTENTION.

IT IS OF COURSE THE CASE THAT THESE DETAINEES ARE VERY

DANGEROUS PEOPLE, AND ALL APPRORIATE SECURITY PRECAUTIONS ARE

BEING TAKEN.

WE ARE CONTINUING TO INVESTIGATE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE

DETAINEES AND AL QAEDA, AND ARE COLLECTING ANY RELEVANT

INFORMATION CONCERNING CRIMES THEY MAY HAVE COMMITTED.

THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR THE RED CROSS HAS ACCESS TO

THE DETAINEES AT GUANTANAMO TO MONITOR THE CONDITIONS THERE.

(IF ASKED)

Q. WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THE HUNGER STRIKE?

A: REFER YOU TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION.
POWELL

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DOS-001916

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6498
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68