HAVANA – A newly released confidential U.S. diplomatic cable predicted Cuba’s economic situation could become “fatal” in two to three years, and detailed concerns from other countries’ diplomats — including China — that the communist-run country has lagged on reforms.

The cable was written in February, months before Cuban President Raul Castro announced a major revamp of the island’s economy, laying out plans to fire a half-million state workers and open up the island to expanded forms of private enterprise.

The cable, sent by the U.S. Interests Section in Havana, which Washington maintains instead of an embassy, was released Friday by WikiLeaks. It was apparently written by America’s chief diplomat on the island, Jonathan Farrar.

Cuban parliament chief Ricardo Alarcon said the cable contained nothing new or interesting.

 


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