News

DATE=1/7/99 TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT NUMBER=5-42313 TITLE=U-S/ CUBA POLICY: EVOLUTION CONTINUES BYLINE=BARBARA SCHOETZAU DATELINE=NEW YORK CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: ANALYSTS SAY THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S DECISION TO EASE RESTRICTIONS ON CONTACTS WITH CUBA IS PART OF A BIPARTISAN EFFORT TO PREPARE FOR THE DAY WHEN 72-YEAR-OLD CUBAN LEADER FIDEL CASTRO IS NO LONGER IN POWER. MANY OF THE NEW MEASURES ARE BASED ON RECOMMENDATIONS IN A NEW REPORT FOR THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS, A PRIVATE NEW YORK CITY GROUP. CORRESPONDENT BARBARA SCHOETZAU REPORTS. TEXT: THE REPORT FOR THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS GREW OUT OF A BIPARTISAN TASK FORCE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO OPEN A NEW ERA IN CUBAN-U-S RELATIONS. THE REPORT WAS WRITTEN BY TWO FORMER ASSISTANT SECRETARIES OF STATE FOR INTER-AMERICAN RELATIONS, WILLIAM ROGERS -- WHO SERVED DURING THE FORD ADMINISTRATION -- AND BERNARD ARONSON, WHO HELD THE JOB UNDER PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH. MR. ARONSON SAYS THE MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE FOCUSED ON WAYS TO REACH OUT TO THE CUBAN PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO MAY BE FUTURE LEADERS. /// ARONSON ACT /// THE HEMISPHERE IS DEMOCRATIC AND NOW I THINK THE GOAL OF U-S POLICY AND THE FOCUS IS REALLY TO TRY TO SUPPORT AND ENGAGE WITH THE CIVIL SOCIETY THAT IS JUST BEGINNING TO EMERGE IN CUBA THAT WILL BE PART OF A DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION. /// END ACT/// FOR YEARS, DISCUSSION OF U-S POLICY TOWARD CUBA HAS BEEN DOMINATED BY CONTENTIOUS DEBATE OVER THE TRADE EMBARGO THE UNITED STATES IMPOSED AGAINST CUBA 37 YEARS AGO. MR. ARONSON SAYS THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS REPORT RECOMMENDS STEPS TO BRING ABOUT PROGRESS IN U-S CUBAN RELATIONS WHILE AVOIDING THE SENSITIVE EMBARGO ISSUE. /// ARONSON ACT //// WE GATHERED TOGETHER A VERY DIVERSE AND BROAD GROUP FROM THE CONSERVATIVE TO LIBERAL SPECTRUM AND WE DECIDED CONSCIOUSLY NOT TO FIGHT ALL THE OLD ARGUMENTS ABOUT THE EMBARGO BUT TO SEE WHAT WE COULD AGREE ON IN TERMS OF CONCRETE STEPS TO PROMOTE AND EFFECT CHANGE IN CUBA. AND WE REACHED BROAD CONSENSUS ON MANY STEPS, SOME OF WHICH THE ADMINISTRATION IMPLEMENTED AND MANY WHICH THEY HAVE NOT YET IMPLEMENTED. /// END ACT /// THE CLINTON ADMINSTRATION HAS BASICALLY ADOPTED MODEST VERSIONS OF BOLDER MEASURES RECOMMENDED IN THE REPORT. THESE MEASURES INCLUDE ALLOWING SOME SALES OF FOOD TO INDEPENDENT GROUPS IN CUBA, LIFTING THE CEILING ON REMITTANCES, RESUMING DIRECT POSTAL SERVICE AND PERMITTING FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS AND INDEPENDENT GROUPS IN CUBA. THE UNITED STATES WILL ALSO EXPAND CULTURAL, EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS AND ATHLETIC EXCHANGES AND PERMIT DIRECT CHARTER FLIGHTS FROM A VARIETY OF AMERICAN CITIES TO HAVANA. THE GOAL, MR. ARONSON SAYS, IS TO INCREASE CONTACT BETWEEN THE CITIZENS OF CUBA AND THE UNITED STATES. /// ARONSON ACT /// WE BASICALLY FELT THAT THERE OUGHT TO BE MUCH BROADER AVENUES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR INDEPENDENT INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS IN CUBA, MUCH GREATER PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE CONTACT AND A LOOSENING ON FOOD AND MEDICINE AND THEY MADE STEPS IN ALL OF THOSE DIRECTIONS. /// END ACT /// THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION DID NOT ADOPT RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PRIVATE TASK FORCE THAT PROPOSED OPENINGS IN THE COMMERCIAL AREA. AND IT TURNED DOWN A SEPARATE RECOMMENDATION MADE BY A GROUP OF LEADING REPUBLICANS TO APPOINT A BI-PARTISAN NATIONAL COMMISSION TO REVIEW THE UNITED STATES' CUBA POLICY. THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS DID NOT MAKE SUCH A RECOMMENDATION, LARGELY BECAUSE TASK FORCE MEMBERS CONSIDER THE IDEA DIVISIVE. SUPPORTERS OF THE U-S TRADE EMBARGO VEHEMENTLY OPPOSE ANY CHANGE IN POLICY. BUT MR. ARONSON SAYS U-S POLICY HAS ACTUALLY BEEN EVOLVING FOR SOME YEARS. /// ARONSON ACT /// SOME OF THESE CHANGES WERE ACTUALLY EMBODIED IN THE CUBAN DEMOCRACY ACT WHICH ACTUALLY CALLED FOR GREATER PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE CONTACTS AND DIRECT TELEPHONE SERVICE AND I THINK THERE HAS BEEN AN EVOLUTION IN THIS DIRECTION. I THINK THE MEASURES THAT THE ADMINISTRATION TOOK ARE ANOTHER STEP IN THAT DIRECTION AND I THINK IT WILL CONTINUE AND IT WILL BROADEN. /// END ACT /// BUT OTHERS SAY U-S POLICY TOWARD CUBA HAS NOT CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY AND THEY POINT TO LEGISLATION IN RECENT YEARS THAT HAS ACTUALLY TIGHTENED THE EMBARGO. SUPPORTERS OF THE EMBARGO SAY THEY BACK THE NEW MEASURES BECAUSE GREATER PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE CONTACT HELPS THE CUBAN PEOPLE WITHOUT STRENGTHENING TIES TO THE CASTRO GOVERNMENT OR WEAKENING THE EMBARGO. (SIGNED) NEB/NY/BJS/LSF/PT 07-Jan-99 5:50 PM EST (2250 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .