ACCESSION NUMBER:318303 FILE ID:POL304 DATE:12/22/93 TITLE:STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22 (12/22/93) TEXT:*93122204.POL STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22 (U.S.-Cuba, Haiti, Pollard, Yeltsin) (620) There was no State Department news briefing. However, David Johnson, director of the Office of Press Relations, discussed the following topics with reporters: CUBAN PRESIDENT'S DAUGHTER PAROLED INTO UNITED STATES Alina Fernandez Revuelta, the daughter of Cuban President Fidel Castro, has been "paroled" into the United States and is now in the southeastern state of Georgia, Johnson said. The decision to grant her parole status is equivalent to the granting of political asylum. The acting spokesman said Fernandez arrived in Atlanta aboard a commercial flight from Madrid on December 21. "She contacted our embassy to ask consideration for asylum after she arrived in Madrid" on December 20, Johnson said. "After review with the Immigration and Naturalization Service, a decision was made to grant her request. In the terms employed by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, she was 'paroled' into the United States." Johnson said "Parole is a term of law which is specific to Cubans," explaining that it stems from a provision established in 1966. "One year and one day following that parole, they are eligible for permanent resident status," he said. "In a legal sense, Cubans aren't granted political asylum," the acting spokesman told reporters. "They're paroled into the United States. Were she from any other country, I think that the term would have been political asylum. But it is an important distinction in the law because nationals 1rom other states are treated differently. This is a provision...which gave certain quick admission advantages to Cubans because of the specific nature of the regime." He said he did not know if she had any contact with U.S. officials before she arrived in Madrid. Fernandez, who is by herself, is believed to be in her late thirties. News reports said she left a teenaged daughter in Cuba. Asked if she was being "debriefed" by U.S. intelligence officials, Johnson replied that she's with her private sponsors who may wish "to talk about that on their own, but that's not something I'm in a position to describe for you. We're treating this as a private matter involving a private citizen. It's not a matter of state." He added he was "unaware of any discussions planned with the Cuban government through intermediaries or otherwise" concerning the defection of Castro's daughter. REPRESENTATIVES OF "FOUR FRIENDS" SET TO MEET WITH CEDRAS Johnson announced that four high-ranking military representatives from the "four friends" -- the United States, Canada, France and Venezuela -- were in Haiti December 22 to meet with military commander Raoul Cedras. Press reports said the visitors would tell Cedras that he must, at some point, step aside to permit the return of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, otherwise international economic sanctions against Haiti will continue and may be expanded. STATE PRESENTS TO JUSTICE ITS VIEW OF POLLARD CASE Johnson said the State Department, as required under U.S. law, has informed the Justice Department of its position regarding Jonathan Pollard, who is serving a life sentence for his conviction of spying for Israel. The Justice Department is now reviewing the sentence. "We provided some form of communication to the Department of Justice, which is responsible for making recommendations to the president on pardons," the spokesman noted. U.S. PLEASED WITH YELSIN'S FOREIGN POLICY COMMITMENT Johnson said the United States was "pleased" that Russian President Boris Yeltsin, in a press conference December 22, reaffirmed his commitment to reform in Russia. The spokesman added that Yeltsin, in recognition of the parliamentary election results, said he would seek to ameliorate some of the affects of reform on certain segments of the population. NNNN .