Crack in the door: Ex-President Carter aims to thaw relations in historic trip to Cuba

Houston Chronicle ^ | May 12, 2002 | PATTY REINERT

[Cincinatus' Wife]

WASHINGTON -- As president, Jimmy Carter forged a historic arms treaty with the Soviet Union, opened diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China and negotiated a peace deal between Israel and Egypt.

Since leaving the White House two decades ago, he has monitored elections in Central America, resolved regional conflicts in Africa and fought disease and hunger in Asia.

But when private citizen Carter arrives here this morning, the 77-year-old statesman will attempt to tie up some unfinished business -- finding a way to befriend Cuban President Fidel Castro, a longtime enemy of the U.S. government.

"I do not expect this trip to change the Cuban government or its policies," Carter said recently. "However, it is an opportunity to explore issues of mutual interest between our citizens and to share ideas on how to improve the relationship."

Carter's six-day visit marks the first time a U.S. president, in or out of office, has set foot on this island off the Florida Straits since Castro embraced communism shortly after leading the nation's 1959 revolution. The United States maintains a strict trade embargo against Cuba and makes it difficult for Americans to travel here.

Carter is traveling at the invitation of Castro and with the permission, if not the blessing, of President Bush, whose administration has taken the strongest stance against Cuba since the Reagan era.

Carter plans to tour the country's schools, hospitals and farms, dine with the Cuban leader and talk to the Cuban people in their neighborhoods as well as via a nationally televised address.

Ordinary Cubans, whose access to information is controlled by the government-run press, found out about the visit only days ago. On Saturday, as foreign reporters landed on the island in anticipation of Carter's arrival, many Cubans on the streets of Havana said they view the visit as a positive sign that Cuba and the United States could one day have friendlier relations.

"It's a point of pride for Cubans that he is coming," said a customs official at Jose Marti International Airport who declined to give his name. "Years and years and years have passed, and no U.S. president has visited. Too much time has gone by."

"It's very quiet today," said a taxi driver who gave his name only as Luis. "But tomorrow, people will be out in the streets to greet him. People are excited. This is a positive sign for the future."

During his presidency, Carter eased travel restrictions to Cuba and agreed to establish interest sections in Havana and Washington. Thousands of political prisoners were released from Cuban prisons, and Americans and dual nationals were permitted to return to the United States.

But progress toward more diplomatic relations between the countries was halted after Castro repaid Carter by expanding military activities in Africa.

Still, with the 75-year-old Castro aging and no apparent successor in sight, Carter believes the time could finally be right for another attempt at warming relations between the two countries.

"We only want him to see the country," Castro said earlier this year in a wide-ranging speech after a celebration of his government's victory over dengue fever. "He can criticize all he wants."

Carter is expected to do just that after he meets with dissidents and human rights activists this week to discuss the plight of an estimated 250 political prisoners held in Cuban jails. But he also is expected to strike a conciliatory tone with Castro, even as the Bush administration sharpens its anti-Castro position back home.

Already, top government officials have stepped up their criticism of Castro, pushed Mexico toward a public confrontation with Cuba and put more than 1,000 radios in the hands of information deprived Cubans, hoping to stir dissent by bringing in uncensored news from the outside world.

The State Department has asked Carter to emphasize the Bush administration's insistence that Cuba move toward democratic elections. On Friday, a group of activists presented their congress a petition that attempts to accomplish that goal.

Last week, the administration angered Cubans when Undersecretary of State John Bolton accused the nation of using its prestigious biotechnology centers to research biological weaponry, and he charged that Cuba has been sharing its technology with "other rogue states."

Cuba has long been listed by the State Department as a country that harbors or helps terrorists, but Bolton refused to provide evidence of the latest allegation or name the countries that the U.S. government believes are receiving help from Cuba.

The Cuban government called Bolton's accusations vile. On Saturday, a group of doctors and researchers held a news conference at the International Press Center, denying Bolton's allegations and inviting reporters to accompany Carter on Monday, when he tours a biotechnology center.

Other stops on Carter's itinerary include a medical facility for AIDS patients, an agricultural cooperative and the University of Havana. The former president also plans to take a walking tour of Old Havana and to set aside time for talking to Cuban citizens.

Castro, meanwhile, is expected to use Carter's visit as a chance to polish his image around the world.

Isolated in the Caribbean by his policies and by the U.S. embargo, the Cuban leader has been struggling to feed his people and keep his communist outpost going years after the fall of the Soviet Union plunged the island into economic chaos.

And Castro has made no secret of the fact he would like to purchase food from U.S. farmers and entice more American tourists to his country's beach and diving resorts.

"Castro believes Cuba deserves to be recognized," said Sandra Levinson, executive director of the New York-based Center for Cuban Studies. The center has arranged Cuban study tours for Americans since the early 1970s.

"What he will get out of this visit is the satisfaction of having one U.S. president willing to look at the situation for himself," she said. "After 40 years, you may not like the government, but you acknowledge it."

Beginning last year, the U.S. government has allowed a small trickle of agricultural sales to Cuba. But Cuban exiles in the United States -- many of whom backed Bush in his disputed 2000 presidential election in Florida and support his brother Jeb's re-election bid as governor of that state -- are pressuring the administration to take a hard line on trade and travel restrictions.

Joe Garcia, executive director of the Miami-based Cuban American National Foundation, said many people in his community "are not very happy" about Carter's meeting with Castro.

"Jimmy Carter's most enduring legacy is that he set the international standard for human rights, and now he is visiting the largest violator of human rights in the hemisphere," Garcia said.

He urged Carter to defend his own record in that regard and push Castro on the issue.

"We want him to go to the jails, visit the dissidents, ask questions," he said. "If he's going down there with the determination to do those things and stand up to Castro, then he's certainly welcome to do that.

"But if he's going down to talk about lifting the embargo, that's nothing new. He's already said that, and what's the difference if he says it from Georgia or Havana?"

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Atlanta - Cuban-Americans skeptical of outcome : Carter "useful tool" Castro "devil" ***Carter is political pawn, some say At the Coco Loco Cuban restaurant in Buckhead, Rey Regalado, 41, a paint contractor from Tucker who came from Cuba in 1991, chuckled as he reviewed the list of Carter's scheduled visits. The former president is being steered to places designed to show Cuba in the best light, Regalado said. "You see? Castro is so smart," he said. "Castro is controlling him. [Carter] is not going to see the real Cuba. I'm not against him going. He's just going to be manipulated."

Regalado said he was "born in the revolution" and knew nothing else. He said life was fine in Cuba until the collapse of the Soviet Union, which had economically propped up the island. By 1991, the economy declined so much he decided to leave. The Soviet Union's collapse showed him communism "wouldn't work," he said. "I decided to get out before it was too late." Even Castro's harshest critics stress that he's smart, and, in the opinion of many Cuban-Americans, he doesn't do anything unless he stands to gain something. For this reason, they say, Carter needs to treat him with suspicion.

"He needs to understand that if the embargo is to be ended, there has to be changes in political prisoners, in human rights and in open and free elections, which is basically what the U.S. government has said from Day One," said Cuban-American Joaquin "Jack" Coello, 57, a lawyer. Rafael Andino, 37, a Lawrenceville biomedical engineer who came to the United States when he was 3 years old, is pessimistic. "I think Carter will try to press for certain freedoms, but I don't think he'll be successful. [Castro] can't allow basic freedoms because it compromises his position," he said. "We wish Carter well, but we're not hopeful."***

Texas farms see Cuba as market for their goods*** "We are not going to help Fidel Castro stay in power by opening up our markets to Cuba," said Cuban-born Otto Reich, whom Bush appointed as the State Department's top official for Latin American affairs over the objections of the U.S. Senate. A democratic transition in Cuba could be expedited, Reich said earlier this year, by "not throwing a lifeline to a failed, corrupt, dictatorial, murderous regime." Hillman, however, said he sees trade as a lifeline not for Castro but for struggling U.S. farmers and for starving Cubans, who wait in long lines for a rationed food supply with little variety.***

Al Neuharth: Why is China OK, but Cuba 'enemy'?

Fidel Castro - Cuba

[Donald Stone]

With Russia no longer able to provide Castro with foreign aid , Castro can't wait to get on the U.S. foreign aid gravy train !!!!!!

And with U.S. businessmen waiting in line for the U.S. government to open Cuba to U.S. business it won't be long.

[albee]

Jimmy Carter perfectly fits the description Lenin gave to "do-good" liberals:

"USEFUL IDIOTS!"

[BigWaveBetty]

I hope Jimmah brought a case of No-Doze. Those Castro 5 hr. lectures can be a beeotch!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

That's the plan but I don't expect it will come to pass.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

That term was made for people like Carter.

[PGalt]

Carter's a liberal/socialist in search of a legacy. Compare him with Ronald Reagan, who didn't need a "LEGACY SEARCH PARTY"

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Those Castro 5 hr. lectures can be a beeotch!

That followed by a rousing all night discussion of the joys of communism, savored over cigars and rum, Carter should sleep like a baby.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Compare him with Ronald Reagan, who didn't need a "LEGACY SEARCH PARTY"

Bump!!

[Elle Bee]

One mut suppose that the inept Carter (who brought us Stansfield Turner, William Webster, et al) has forgotten wat a fool Casto made of him with the Mariel Boat Lift

.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Fool is right.

Atlanta - Cuban-Americans skeptical of outcome : Carter "useful tool" - Castro "devil"***Rene Diaz, a Cuban-American and CEO of Diaz Foods in Atlanta, sits on the Carter Center's Board of Councilors, an advisory group of prominent regional and local figures. He said Cuban-Americans need to take the opportunity to start a dialogue with Castro to come up with a post-Castro succession plan. When Castro dies, Diaz believes, different groups will vie for power: Castro's brother Raul, opposing generals in the army and the Cuban people. Cuba could "get worse before it gets better." "Carter is one man who can convince Castro that his legacy is important. He doesn't want to be the man who ruled Cuba for 40 years and then he died and it collapsed," Diaz said. "Carter can bring about some dialogues, some ideas to get to the next step. Cuba could be a success story."***

[at bay]

It is great to have members posting who have long memories. The Mariel boat scam left hundreds in this country victims of some of the violent thugs unleashed on this country. Terrorism in its crudest, cruddiest form. The aging thug of thugs, el heftie (scum) bag, should be summarily executed by Jimmy if he gets in close range. Wow. Wouldn't that make the news. Or Jimmy could take Gary Condit and a couple of his Hell's Angel's buddies with him and make Castro disappear. You don't negotiate with Frank Nitty, Al Capone or John Gotti. We should be dropping thousands of radios not capable of being jammed. Surely the technology exists for that. Make Guantanamo a staging ground. Dropping leaflets by the millions. Long live the embargo! Long live the soldiers who killed the invading Che Guevarro! Long live every freedom loving person in the world who fought against this murderous scumbag. Don't be fooled by the suit Jimmy. He'd shove a peanut where the sun don't shine on you so fast if you were one of his subjects you wouldn't know what hit you. He has no authority to speak for the people of Cuba as no one elected him. Meeting with him confers authority and gives Castro the very recognition that our State Department has wisely withheld the last 40 years.

[YaYa123]

Help me out here, I can't remember the details, but I'm discomforted by Carter's trip because.....

The last time Cuba was in the news, all the big anchors and reporters went to Cuba to cover the story of, I think it was the Pope's trip to Cuba. Then, something happened, an unexpected news event, and the big story turned out to be something that happened here. What was it?

[BigWaveBetty]

LOL! And after all that fun perhaps Jimmah will have lust in his heart for America for a change.

[not-alone]

January 20, 1977 - Jimmy Carter is inaugurated as the 39th President of the United States.

March 19, 1977 - President Carter drops both the ban on travel to Cuba and on US citizens spending dollars in Cuba.

April 27, 1977 - The United States and Cuba sign a maritime boundary and fishing rights accord.

May 30, 1977 - The United States and Cuba agree to establish "Interests Sections" in each other's country beginning on September 1. Although not formal embassies, these offices will deal primarily with trade and consular matters and will serve as channels of communication between the two countries.

February 27, 1978 - Secretary of State Cyrus Vance states that he does not foresee the normalization of relations with Cuba because of the presence of Cuban troops in Africa.

April 22, 1980 - Cuba announces that anyone who wishes to leave Cuba can depart from Mariel. The Mariel boatlift continues through September and results in 123,000 Cubans coming to the United States. Among these immigrants are several thousand who are criminals and several hundred who are mentally ill.

January 20, 1981 - Ronald Reagan is inaugurated as the 40th President of the United States.

April 19, 1982 - The Reagan Administration reestablishes the travel ban, prohibits U.S. citizens from spending money in Cuba, and lets the 1977 fishing accord lapse.

September 29, 1983 - The House approves the establishment of Radio Marti which passed the Senate on September 13 and is signed into law by President Reagan in October 1983.

December 14, 1984 - The United States and Cuba conclude a migration agreement that provides for the repatriation of 2,746 Marielitos, U.S. admission of 3,000 political prisoners, and the immigration to the United States of 20,000 Cubans annually

[noloveforlibs]

As an avid cigar smoker, I am praying old Jimma'can lift the embargo. We're the only country on earth that does not trade with Cuba, so the embargo has no effect on Castro's regime. Bring on the Montecristos and Habanas!

[Jimmy Valentine]

I had some Cuban cigars in Canada a few years back. BASURA!! [garbage]. When Castro took over, a lot of the growers, wrappers and other "craft" people of the cigar manufacturing business went to Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Miami.

I will put up any Arturo Fuente of any shape against the best that Cuba can offer, and that is just one brand name.

Regards,

[dfwgator]

Carter plans to tour the country's schools, hospitals and farms, dine with the Cuban leader and talk to the Cuban people in their neighborhoods as well as via a nationally televised address.

Oh yeah, he'll get a realistic picture of life in Cuba from that, NOT!!!!! Can you say "Theresinstadt"?

[TLBSHOW]

First things first jimmy commie carter. Castro is a killer and a terrorist. The country Cuba is part of the evil. Bring us Castros head that is your mission. jimmy commie lover carter.

[backhoe]

YaYa, I'm trying to find something ( I recall *something* too.. ) but so far,

since the pope went to Cuba," he said. The Monica Lewinsky scandal broke during the pope's trip to Cuba.

Paula Jones Rubs Shoulders With Washington Elite At Dinner - ...
... read a magazine or even watched the evening news since the pope went to Cuba,"
he said. The Monica Lewinsky scandal broke during the pope's trip to Cuba. ...
images.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/ 04/25/correspondents.dinner/ - 14k - Cached - Similar pages

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... *****. Sadly, the Pope's trip to Cuba was eclipsed by the sex scandal, as was
most of the 25 th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. But, the juxtaposition was not ...
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It was Monica, wasn't it?