>Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: [Cuba SI] Cuba embargo may ease > > >Not especially the final paragraph, and let's hope the >spectacle put on in Miami of a child being kidnapped >and manipulated to suit the Miami Mafia's agenda >helps further isolate and discredit them: > >FINAL PARAGRAPH: >In the House, the measure received extra support this >year from the Eli·n Gonz·lez story. The Eli·n story put >Cuba back in the news and painted Cuban-Americans in >Miami as extreme, creating a backlash that prompted >some lawmakers to re-think American foreign policy >toward Cuba. > > > >----------------------- >May 24, 2000 > >U.S. Farm Groups Join Move to Ease Cuba Embargo > >By LIZETTE ALVAREZ > >WASHINGTON, May 23 -- Under pressure from farmers to >open new markets, Congress is considering softening the >United States trade embargo against Cuba to permit the >export of food, medicine and medical products. > >Powerful farm groups, sensing a swing in momentum this >election year, are pushing lawmakers to reconsider the >38-year-old embargo, arguing that it does more harm >than good. Business groups and pharmaceutical com- >panies are also rallying for change. The effort even >got >unexpected support this year from the Eli·n Gonz·lez >saga as some Americans, deluged with stories about Cuba >and Cuban-Americans, began to re-evaluate whether the >United States' cold war strategy toward the Communist >island nation still made sense. > >Economically, the proposed measure is largely symbolic: >It specifically rules out purchase of food using United >States government credit, making it unlikely that >cash-starved Cuba would be able to buy much from >American farmers. And it does little to expand a >current provision on exporting medicine and medical >products to Cuba. > >The measure's true significance is political, in its >newfound popularity on the Hill among both conser- >vatives and liberals. That marks an important shift in >Congress, indicating a growing impatience with >the embargo's failure and a desire to explore different >approaches to dealing with the government of Fidel >Castro. > >"I think Castro has used this scapegoat argument >against the United States for years," said Repre- >sentative George R. Nethercutt Jr., a Washington >Republican who faces a tough re-election battle this >year. "If we take this argument away from him, we >export not only food and medicine but also democracy. >He can't then say that America is inhumane. It works to >our advantage. We can't do any worse." > >The measure, tucked inside a mammoth agriculture >spending bill, was approved by the Appropriations >Committee this month. It has attracted so many allies >that it withstood an attempt by the majority whip, >Representative Tom DeLay of Texas, to strip the >measure from the larger bill. > >Last year, Mr. DeLay killed the measure before >it could be voted on in the House. > >The provision has also cleared the Senate >Appropriations Committee, and faces little opposition >there, although Senator Jesse Helms, a North Carolina >Republican and Castro foe, has expressed his >displeasure. Last year, the Senate approved a similar >measure in a 70-to-30 vote. > >Although the measure stands its best chance ever this >year, it faces a few hurdles in the House, where >Republican leaders could still defeat the provision by >preventing an up-or-down vote on it. One hurdle, in the >Rules Committee, could come as early as this week. > >Supporters say killing the language will be more >difficult this year. "A fundamental shift has >occurred," said Senator Byron Dorgan, the North >Dakota Republican who wrote the Senate bill. > >The measure would permit the United States to export >food, medicine and medical products to Cuba, under >certain stringent conditions, which were written into >the bill to draw support. > >In addition to the prohibition on use of government >credit, the bill also specifies that companies wanting >to sell to Cuba would have to obtain yearly licenses to >export their products and would have to wait six months >after the law is enacted to conduct business. > >Medicine and medical products are already exported to >Cuba under slightly tougher regulations. Last year, the >Commerce Department approved 63 licenses to export >medicine and medical products. > >Although some opponents say the language is written >so loosely that it could permit bartering and private >financing, many critics say the bill, if passed, would >be a hollow victory for farmers. > >"It would really be a symbolic gesture," said >Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Florida >Republican and Cuban-American who is fighting the >language in the bill. "I have no problem with symbolic >gestures, if that makes them happy enough, as long >as they are trying not to give more money to Fidel >Castro." > >Farm state lawmakers argue that the measure would >provide at least some help to constituents who have >been hit hard by falling commodity prices and a 1996 >bill that revamped agriculture rules. And it would >allow farmers to position themselves in Cuba, which >trades with a host of other American allies, including >Canada. > >Audrae Erickson, an international trade specialist for >the American Farm Bureau, said analysts believe that >the Cuban market could be worth up to $1 billion a >year. > >And because the provision would do little to steer >money to Fidel Castro, even some members who fiercely >oppose any softening of the embargo view this measure >as a relatively harmless way to appease farm belt >politicians. > >"It's all driven by the farm lobby," said a senior >Republican Senate aide. "These people are running >around looking for any panacea. They've convinced >themselves the solution lies in Havana." > >In the House, the measure received extra support this >year from the Eli·n Gonz·lez story. The Eli·n story put >Cuba back in the news and painted Cuban-Americans in >Miami as extreme, creating a backlash that prompted >some lawmakers to re-think American foreign policy >toward Cuba. > >NEW YORK TIMES > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >72% off on Name brand Watches! >Come and buy today and get free shipping! >http://click.egroups.com/1/4011/0/_/30563/_/959143981/ >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >Cuba SI - Imperialism NO! >Information and discussion about Cuba. >Socialism or death! Patria o muerte! Venceremos! >http://www.egroups.com/group/cubasi > >Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Change Delivery Options: http://www.egroups.com/mygroups > > > > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
