    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book I)]
    [January 28, 1997]
    [Pages 88-89]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Preface to the Report Entitled ``Support for a Democratic Transition in
    Cuba''
    January 28, 1997

        The promotion of democracy abroad is one of the primary foreign
    policy objectives of my Administration. These efforts reflect our ideals
    and reinforce our interests--preserving America's security and enhancing
    our prosperity. Democracies are less likely to go to war with one
    another or to abuse the rights of their peoples. They make for better
    trading partners. And each one is a potential ally in the struggle
    against the forces of hatred and intolerance, whether rogue nations,
    those who foment ethnic and religious hatred, or terrorists who traffic
    in weapons of mass destruction.
        Today, freedom's reach is broader than ever. For the first time in
    history, two thirds of all nations have governments elected by their own
    people. As newly democratic nations have left the dark years of
    authoritarian government behind, millions of their citizens around the
    world have begun to experience the political and economic freedoms that
    they were so long and so wrongfully denied.
        Creating open societies and democratic institutions and building
    free markets are major tasks that call for courage and commitment. To
    face these challenges, many democratizing and newly democratic
    governments have turned to developed democratic nations and
    international institutions for assistance and support. The United States
    has been at the forefront of these efforts, lending help in numerous
    areas in which we have long experience--for example, building democratic
    institutions and the institutions of a market economy, and protecting
    human rights

    [[Page 89]]

    through an effective and impartial justice system.
        Cubans, like the other peoples of this hemisphere, of Eastern
    Europe, and of the former Soviet Union, desire to be free. The United
    States is committed to help the Cuban people in a transition to
    democracy. We will continue working with others in the international
    community who share our desire to welcome Cuba into the ranks of
    prosperous democratic nations, where it will proudly join the other
    thirty-four countries in this hemisphere.
        This document outlines the assistance that a democratizing Cuba is
    likely to seek during its transition, and the ways in which the United
    States and the international community will try to help. It draws from
    the experiences of other countries that have embarked upon similar
    transitions and highlights some of the lessons learned from those
    processes. It is my sincere hope that it will contribute to a better
    understanding of the international community's potential role in a
    transition to democracy and underscore the strong commitment of the
    American people to support the Cuban people when they embark upon that
    process of change.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of
    this preface.