[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E315-E316]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

REPORT BY THE DELEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES ASSOCIATION OF FORMER
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS VISIT TO CUBA

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HON. LEE H. HAMILTON

of indiana

in the house of representatives

Wednesday, February 26, 1997

Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to submit to the record the
following policy recommendations from the report by the delegation of
the United States Association of Former Members of Congress Visit to
Cuba. I commend the members of the delegation--Hon. Louis J. Frey, Jr.,
Hon. James W. Symington, Hon. Michael Barnes, Hon. Jon Christensen,
Hon. Dennis DeConcini, Hon. Toby Roth, Mr. Walter Raymond, Jr., and
Ambassador Timothy Towell--for their decision to take the trip and
study this pressing issue in U.S. foreign policy.
As my colleagues will see, the delegation's policy recommendations
amount to a serious reexamination of United States policy toward Cuba.
This call for a reexamination of policy is not based on some nostalgic
view of the dictator--Castro--who continues his grip on power in Cuba.
In fact, by calling for the release of political prisoners and for free
and fair elections, the members of the delegation demonstrate that they
clearly understand the dictatorial nature of the Castro regime. These
recommendations are made because they advance the United States
national interest in a peaceful transition in Cuba away from
dictatorship to democracy.
Unsurprisingly, the Cuban economy is in very bad condition, Cubans
suffer shortages of basic necessities and electricity, and the Castro
police state remains intact. Surprisingly, the majority of the
dissidents the delegation met with in Cuba stated their opposition to
the Helms-Burton law. According to the delegation's report, many
dissidents favor an increased flow of people, information, and ideas
into Cuba. It is this increased flow of people and information to Cuba,
not the continued isolation of that nation's people, that poses the
greatest threat to the Castro regime.

Report by the Delegation of the U.S. Association of Former Members of
Congress Visit to Cuba, December 9-14, 1996

Possible actions envisioned by the delegation to be taken
in 1997 include:
(1) A comprehensive bilateral program to reduce drug
trafficking. The effort which led to the recent 6-ton cocaine
bust should be expanded. Consideration might be given to
developing joint counter-narcotics interdiction strategies,
including undertaking joint naval patrols in the Bahamas and
in Cuban and U.S. waters.
(2) Visit by the International Human Rights Law Group to
monitor the judicial process. This idea was raised with
Minister of Justice Sotolongo who said he received many
visits, but he was not closed to the idea. He said Cuban
sovereignty and principles would have to be observed. The
delegation urged the Minister to review all convictions, as a
satisfactory resolution of cases concerning prisoners of
conscience would evoke a positive U.S. response.
(3) Consultation with U.S. nuclear experts before
completion and operation of Cuba's first nuclear plant. The
delegation urged closer international supervision and were
advised that IAEA had paid a visit. The plant is being
built with Russian equipment and technology and, with the
precedent of the Chernobyl plant disaster in Ukraine, is a
cause of international concern. The Cuban officials took
pains to remind the delegation that they are as interested
as the United States in constructing a safe facility. An
offer of a visit by a technical group from the southern
United States (possibly Florida) whose citizens would be
the most directly affected by any nuclear waste, emissions
or malfunction should be considered.
(4) Support for human rights in Cuba. The delegation urges
the U.S. Government, in conjunction with the EU, to press for
the initiation of a process permitting free and open
elections, maintained by a responsible international body.
Further, the Cubans should be urged to invite the
International Committee of the Red Cross to examine the
conditions of Cuban prisons. Such a demarche to the Cubans
would probably most effectively be pressed through the
appropriate third party from the EU or Central Europe. The
concurrent release of a number of political prisoners,
estimated by the dissidents at 300-500, would be a dramatic
gesture with little downside. In the judgment of the
delegation, the political prisoners are considered as
political chips and insurance rather than a security threat.
(5) An offer to open property settlement discussions. The
Cubans acknowledge that this is still an outstanding issue in
the bilateral relationship, but politics aside, they have
neither the funds nor the will to make a new offer, unless it
is part of a larger negotiation concerning bilateral
relations. Nevertheless, an effort should be made to
establish a process with a payment schedule even if actual
funding is deferred to a future date.
(6) The elimination of barriers to two-way communication.
This could range from the current--and significant--
establishment of the CNN Bureau to the sale of Western books,
magazines and papers and the removal of impediments to
Internet connections. In this regard, the delegation was
advised by the democratic opposition that TV Marti is never
heard in Cuba except by party officials who have satellite
dishes. Ordinary Cubans cannot own a satellite dish. Congress
should explore how effective TV Marti actually is and if it
proves to be as ineffective as the delegation was advised,
funding should be stopped for TV Marti. These funds, however,
should continue to be allocated for information programming
to Cuba. The delegation believes the estimated $12 million
currently allocated for TV Marti could be effectively spent
on more informational and academic exchanges and improvements
to other communications channels including the provision of a
broad Internet capability. In addition, serious program
attention should be given to developing and broadcasting, via
a variety of communication channels, basic educational
materials concerning the development of a political and
economic democracy. Paralleling U.S. programming to Central/
East Europe and the NIS, the time is right to provide
materials to support a peaceful transition in Cuban.
(7) Lifting of restrictions on air travel from the United
States to Cuba. This could be done on a step-by-step basis,
such as for holidays, to monitor the new arrangements.
However, it should be noted that Americans do get to the
island now through a very complicated routing. The FMC
delegation, for example, traveled via Costa Rica and Mexico.
Others go via Nassau and, in comparatively large numbers,
travel onward to Cuba by charter. In other words, travel
restrictions are finessed and the difficulties imposed are
counterproductive. These restrictions do not appear to have
any redeeming value. Lifting them would facilitate and
energize a range of contacts between Cubans in Cuba, their
relatives in the United States and with the wider American
community. Such contacts would provide a source of physical
and moral support to the Cuban citizens and could temper the
conduct and course of the regime itself.
(8) The removal of barriers to humanitarian assistance.
Discussions with Caritas, the international arm of the U.S.-
based Catholic Relief Services, were very positive and
members of the delegation will be in further communication
with it. Other channels may also be explored. The Cuban-
American community in the United States has been very helpful
in assisting their families, but the current restrictions
have reduced this assistance. The delegation sees no reason
to create obstacles to such assistance.
(9) The removal of remaining impediments to exchange
programs. Significant increases in exchanges should be
authorized and, as needed, financed. On the basis of our
discussions with faculty and students, stringent visa
restrictions--which they said appeared to be getting
tighter--have directly hampered two-way student and professor
exchanges involving the University of Havana. On the basis of
the knowledge of the important role such exchanges have
played in the past and continue to play in Central/East
Europe and the NIS, the free flow of information can directly
benefit the democratization process.
(10) A U.S. Government call for the formal adoption of the
``Sullivan-Arcos Principles'' by the foreign investment
community (EU, U.S. and others) as an integral component of
their business arrangements in Cuba. International and
domestic trade unions should be urged to enlist their support
and intercession with Western governments and the business
community.
(11) Enhanced foundation support for academic and
scholastic programs. The MacArthur and Kellogg Foundations
currently support the Center for American Studies at the
University of Havana. Others with equivalent interests should
be encouraged to determine if such programs (see Paragraph 5
above) meet their criteria for support.
(12) Development of a Speakers Program. Encourage the
extension of speaking invitations from non-governmental Cuban
groups to U.S. leaders. The delegation asked if Billy Graham
were to visit Cuba could he speak to the Cuban people. The
answer was that if invited by a Cuban institution, Billy
Graham and other religious leaders could visit and speak in
Cuba. By this measure, the openings for speaking
engagements for scientific, cultural, farm and business
leaders would be considerable.

[[Page E316]]

(13) Consideration by Members of Congress of fact-finding
trips to Cuba. Hill staffers from the House and Senate
foreign affairs committees have been invited to visit Cuba
and should be encouraged to do so.
The FMC delegation believes that the contacts developed and
candid discussions which took place in mid-December in Havana
were an important start. The bipartisan quality of the group,
its liberal to conservative construction, and its ability to
be one step removed from the direct domestic political
pressure that a formal Congressional delegation would have
suggest that this opening should be pursued. The delegation
was asked by the Cubans to plan a sequel trip at an
appropriate time in the future and the FMC will consider such
a possibility if and when it appears such a mission could
serve a constructive purpose.
Representative Louis Frey, Jr., Republican-Florida (1969-
1979), Chairman of Delegation; Representative Toby
Roth, Republican-Wisconsin (1981-1997); Representative
Jon Christensen, Republican-Nebraska (1995-----);
Representative James Symington, Democrat-Missouri
(1969-1979), Vice Chairman of Delegation; Senator
Dennis DeConcini, Democrat-Arizona (1977-1995);
Representative Michael D. Barnes, Democrat-Maryland
(1979-1985).

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