CIP Cuba Project

Senate Working Group on Cuba

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House Cuba Working Group

Letter to Cuban Interests Section

April 2, 2003

Dagoberto Rodriguez
Chief, Cuban Interests Section
Embassy of Switzerland
2630 16th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20009

Dear Mr. Rodriguez,

As you may know, a bipartisan group of Senators recently announced the
formation of a Senate Working Group on Cuba. This group will work to ease
the trade and travel restrictions that have been in place for the last forty
years.
However, as members of the Working Group and as advocates for improved
relations between the United States and Cuba we are deeply troubled by
recent actions of the Cuban government against Cuban dissidents. Dozens of
Cuban citizens have been arrested or threatened with arrest for promoting
human rights or practicing independent journalism. These arrests are
deplorable, and we hope that your government will immediately release these
dissidents. Unless corrected, the recent actions of the Cuban government
will only undermine efforts to expand contacts between the two countries.
In addition, we understand that the Cuban government has begun to restrict
the freedom of movement of U.S. diplomats in Cuba. There are reports that
the Cuban government may impose further restrictions on U.S. diplomats or
even close the U.S. Interests Section in Havana. This, in our view, would be
a tremendous mistake. Indeed, the increasing tensions between the Cuban
government and the U.S. Interests Section in Havana only threaten to
deteriorate further our diplomatic relationship. We in Congress believe that
the U.S. Interests Section in Havana should follow all diplomatic norms in
order to lessen tensions between our two governments, and your government
should do its part to bring about a lessening of tensions as well. The
current state of relations serves neither country.

Sincerely,

Max Baucus
Michael Enzi
Byron Dorgan
Norm Coleman
Blanche Lincoln
Jeff Bingaman
Chris Dodd
Pat Roberts
Chuck Hagel

CIP Cuba Project Press Release

For Immediate Release
March 23, 2003

Contact: Wayne Smith, Anya Landau
202.232.3317

U.S. SENATE ANNOUNCES CUBA WORKING GROUP
Ten Member, Bipartisan Group Forms to Challenge Cuba Embargo

Washington, DC, March 21, 2003: A bipartisan group of ten U.S. Senators announced in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD), the formation of the Senate Working Group on Cuba. The Senate Working Group, which plans to focus its efforts on trade and travel restrictions, gives hope to embargo opponents that there will be an orchestrated and unified strategy in the Senate to reassess Cuba policy.

In February, the Center for International Policy's Anya Landau led a fact-finding mission to Cuba with senior Senate staff members from key offices. "Many of these offices were already working together informally and have been looking for ways to move the issue forward, so the formation of a Senate Working Group on Cuba seemed the logical next step," notes Landau. "We fully expect them to make their presence felt and be a force to be reckoned with this year."

With the formation of the Senate Working Group on Cuba, both chambers of the U.S. Congress now have working groups committed to a new approach to U.S. policy toward Cuba. Last year, the U.S. House of Representatives formed a Cuba Working Group, which now has fifty members - 25 Republicans and 25 Democrats.

Letter to Senators Frist and Daschle on the formation of a Senate Working Group on Cuba

March 21, 2003

Dear Senators Frist and Daschle:

We are writing to inform you of our intention to launch the Senate Working Group on Cuba. The Working Group will examine U.S. policies toward Cuba, including current trade and travel restrictions.

The sanction policy of the United States has been ineffective since it was adopted in 1962. Other nations trade with Cuba, and their producers benefit from that trade. The U.S. policy places our farmers, workers, and companies at an international competitive disadvantage. By some estimates, the United States loses out on an export market of nearly $1 billion per year.

Current U.S. policy also hinders our ability to interact with the Cuban people by restricting American citizens right to travel to Cuba. We believe that the American people can have greater influence on Cuban society by developing a relationship with the Cuban people. That is the only way to influence the peaceful transition to democracy and a market-oriented economy.

We are pleased with the formation of this group and look forward to working with you on matters related to Cuba.

Sincerely,

Max Baucus (D-MT)
Byron Dorgan (D-ND)
Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)
Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)

Michael Enzi (R-WY)
Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
Norm Coleman (R-MN)
Jim Talent (R-MO)
Pat Roberts (R-KS)

To more information about Senate offices and legislation on Cuba, visit http://www.senate.gov

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