Mrs JD Wyeth
ODA
FCO
Year Mrs Wyeth,
CONFIDENTIAL
read 11/9/26
BRITISH EMBASSY
HAVANA
4 September 1986
CULA
573.
UNHCR PROGRAMMES IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND CUBA
(481)
1.
·
Stephen Brown of MCAD (FCO) sent us a copy of your minute of 24 July 1986 seeking information on refugees prior to the October meeting of the Executive Committee of UNHCR in Geneva.
2.
There is little available information regarding the relatively small number of refugees in Cuba. We understand that there are probably less than 2,000, mainly from Chile and Uruguay. Many of the latter are likely to return to their country following the restoration of democracy there. also, we believe, a smaller number of African refugees. As far as we can ascertain these refugees are well treated. Given that they are probably in Cuba because of sympathies with the local government, which provides free health and education services to its own people, it seems improbable that the refugees would be allowed to be maltreated.
3.
There is
In view of the limited information available to us and of the untypical nature of refugees in Cuba (they are presumably invited to stay in Cuba by the Cuban Government) we do not believe that it would be worthwhile to try to answer all the points raised in your minute. We hope that the information above may, nevertheless, be of some use to you.
cc:
Yours sincere)
Dunia Tayl
D JR TAYLOR
SDR Brown Esq
MCAD
FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
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