DATE=3/12/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-228064
TITLE=U-S/CUBA SANCTIONS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=BILL RODGERS
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:   SOME U-S LAWMAKERS ARE CRITICIZING THE CLINTON 
ADMINISTRATION FOR NOT FULLY IMPLEMENTING A LAW AIMED AT 
TIGHTENING ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST CUBA.  THE CRITICISM CAME 
AT A CONGRESSIONAL HEARING THURSDAY TIMED TO COINCIDE WITH THE 
SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE LAW KNOWN AS HELMS-BURTON AFTER THE 
NAMES OF ITS CONGRESSIONAL SPONSORS.  V-O-A'S BILL RODGERS 
REPORTS.

TEXT:    PRESIDENT CLINTON SIGNED THE HELMS-BURTON LAW TWO YEARS 
AGO IN RESPONSE TO THE FEBRUARY 1996 SHOOTDOWN OF TWO SMALL 
CIVILIAN PLANES BY CUBAN JET FIGHTERS OVER INTERNATIONAL WATERS. 
THE LAW FURTHER TIGHTENS THE DECADES-LONG U-S ECONOMIC EMBARGO 
AGAINST CUBA BY IMPOSING SANCTIONS AGAINST FOREIGN COMPANIES THAT
INVEST IN U-S ASSETS CONFISCATED BY CUBA'S COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT. 

ONE OF THE LAW'S MOST CONTROVERSIAL PROVISIONS, KNOWN AS TITLE 
THREE, ALLOWS U-S CITIZENS TO SUE THESE COMPANIES -- A MEASURE 
THAT HAS AROUSED STRONG CONDEMNATION IN EUROPE AND LATIN AMERICA 
WHO CONSIDER IT A BREACH OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.

HOWEVER, PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS NEVER IMPLEMENTED TITLE THREE -- 
AND HAS SIGNED WAIVERS EVERY SIX MONTHS AS PART OF A STRATEGY TO 
ENLIST THE EUROPEAN UNION TO DO MORE TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY AND 
HUMAN RIGHTS IN CUBA.  

IT IS THESE WAIVERS -- AND WHAT SOME CONGRESSMEN CONSIDER A 
GENERALLY TEPID ENFORCEMENT OF HELMS-BURTON -- THAT PROVOKED 
SHARP CRITICISM AT A CONGRESSIONAL HEARING THURSDAY ON THE 
MEASURE'S TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY.  THE COMMENTS OF DEMOCRATIC 
CONGRESSMAN ROBERT MENENDEZ WERE TYPICAL.

                       ///MENENDEZ ACT///

          I REALLY THINK THE ADMINISTRATION IS DRAGGING ITS FEET.
         AT THIS POINT I HAD DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS AS ONE OF 
         THOSE WHO NEGOTIATED THIS AGREEMENT, AND AS A DEMOCRAT I
         HONESTLY DO NOT BELIEVE THE ADMINISTRATION IS NOW 
         COMMITTED TO MOVING FORWARD AND WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO 
         MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO, WHICH IS NOTHING. 

                          //END ACT///

THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S POINT MAN ON CUBA, MICHAEL RANNEBERGER, 
DISPUTED THIS -- TELLING THE CONGRESSIONAL PANEL THE CLINTON 
ADMINISTRATION IS COMMITTED TO ENFORCING HELMS-BURTON.  WHILE 
ACKNOWLEDGING THERE HAS BEEN STRONG INTERNATIONAL OPPOSITION TO 
THE LAW, MR. RANNEBERGER SAID SUSPENDING THE TITLE THREE 
PROVISION HAS PERSUADED EUROPE TO PUT MORE PRESSURE ON CUBA.

                     ///RANNEBERGER ACT///  

         WE HAVE CHANGED THE TERMS OF THE DEBATE ON CUBA BY USING
         THE WAIVER.  WE'VE GOTTEN THE ATTENTION OF THE EUROPEANS
         AND OTHERS ON THIS AND WE'VE CERTAINLY SEEN, SINCE THE 
         FIRST WAIVER, INCREASED PUBLIC PROFILE OF THE EUROPEANS 
         ON THE ISSUE OF DEMOCRACY IN CUBA.  THAT'S NOT TO SAY 
         THAT IN THE PAST THEY DID NOT CARE ABOUT DEMOCRACY AND 
         HUMAN RIGHTS IN CUBA, THEY DID. BUT IT IS TO SAY THEIR 
         ACTIONS HAVE BEEN HIGHER PROFILE AND THEY'VE BEEN 
         STRONGER.

                          ///END ACT///

BUT CONGRESSMAN MENENDEZ AND OTHERS MAINTAIN THE EUROPEAN NATIONS
ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH.

HOWEVER, NOT ALL THE LAWMAKERS ATTENDING THURSDAY'S HEARING OF 
THE HOUSE (OF REPRESENTATIVES) SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL 
TRADE SUPPORT HELMS-BURTON.  DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN SAM GEJDENSON
SPOKE OUT STRONGLY AGAINST THE LAW -- AND THE U-S ECONOMIC 
EMBARGO IN GENERAL -- SAYING THESE SANCTIONS WILL NOT BRING 
DEMOCRATIC CHANGE TO CUBA.  HOWEVER, IN COMMENTS TO REPORTERS AT 
THE HEARING, MR. RANNEBERGER SAID THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE IN THE 
U-S EMBARGO POLICY. (SIGNED)



NEB/WFR/PT

   

12-Mar-98 6:17 PM EST (2317 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.