[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 100 (Monday, June 19, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1289]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                    UNITED STATES POLICY TOWARD CUBA

                                 ______


                          HON. LEE H. HAMILTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 19, 1995
  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, on May 8, 1995, I wrote to President 
Clinton concerning the May 1995 migration agreement between the United 
States and Cuba in the context of overall United States policy toward 
Cuba.
  On June 4, 1995, I received a reply from President Clinton. The text 
of the correspondence follows:
         House of Representatives, Committee on International 
           Relations,
                                      Washington, DC, May 8, 1995.
     William J. Clinton,
     The White House, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. President: I write with regard to last week's 
     migration agreement between the United States and Cuba. I am 
     concerned that this policy change treats only one aspect of 
     Cuba policy and does not address the central policy problems.
       For it to be successful, U.S. policy toward Cuba requires 
     more than returning Cuban migrants interdicted at sea to 
     Cuba. Instead of limiting policy changes to migration issues, 
     the United States should reach out to the Cuban people in an 
     attempt to make their lives better, decrease their incentive 
     to emigrate, and enhance the chances for a peaceful 
     transition to democracy in Cuba.
       I commend you for your recent comments on U.S. Cuba policy. 
     I welcome the administration's opposition to key provisions 
     of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act of 1995. I 
     also have been encouraged by your recent comments, and those 
     of administration officials, which have stressed the 
     importance of having a robust ``Track II'' to U.S. Cuba 
     policy. I agree with you that additional pressure on Cuba 
     could likely result in violent change, unleashing the kind of 
     migration your new policy is designed to discourage.
       Now is the time to take definitive steps to increase 
     contact between the citizens of the United States and Cuba 
     and attempt to lessen their hardship. It is not the time for 
     attempts at further isolating Cuba. These steps should 
     include: Restoring pre-August 1994 remittance and travel 
     guidelines for Cuban-Americans; allowing for greater travel 
     and contact between all U.S. citizens and the people of Cuba; 
     and pushing for news bureau exchanges between the U.S. and 
     Cuba.
       Such initiatives would be positive steps toward advancing 
     the central goal of U.S. Cuba policy--a peaceful transition 
     to democracy. The steps could also help discourage Cubans 
     from taking to the seas. Taking those steps and eliciting 
     reciprocal actions by Cuba also could lead to the process of 
     carefully calibrated responses to Cuban actions emphasized in 
     recent comments by administration officials.
       I look forward to working with you on this matter.
       With best regards,
           Sincerely,
                                                  Lee H. Hamilton,
                                        Ranking Democratic Member.
                                  ____



                                              The White House,

                                         Washington, June 3, 1995.
     Hon. Lee H. Hamilton,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Lee: Thank you for your letter on United States policy 
     toward Cuba.
       It has been one of our long-standing goals to regularize 
     our migration relationship with Cuba. This will enable the 
     United States to better control its borders. It will ensure 
     that Cubans do not take to the sea in unseaworthy rafts at 
     great peril to their lives. Finally, by resolving an issue 
     Castro has long used to distract us, it will allow the United 
     States to focus on its central goal of promoting a peaceful 
     transition to democracy in Cuba. The recent migration 
     agreements advance these objectives.
       I share your belief that we must help the Cuban people in 
     their struggle for democratic reform and human rights, and we 
     now are in a position to do just that. Consistent with Track 
     II of the Cuban Democracy Act, we already have taken steps to 
     increase the flow of information, improve telecommunications 
     and license private humanitarian aid to Cuba. I am committed 
     to assisting opposition leaders, free-thinking intellectuals, 
     churches and human rights groups in their efforts to push for 
     meaningful political and economic change.
       With regard to your specific proposals, we continue to 
     review whether the measures in place serve our objective of 
     encouraging peaceful economic and political change. Any 
     actions we take will be consistent with that goal and with 
     the two-track approach of the Cuban Democracy Act.
       As usual, I appreciate your thoughtful comments on this 
     issue.
           Sincerely,
                                                     Bill Clinton.
     *ERR08*

                          ____________________