    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
    [May 6, 2004]
    [Page 783]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following a Meeting With the Commission for Assistance to a Free
    Cuba
    May 6, 2004

        Mr. Secretary, thank you for the report
    you've just given me. I've received a Commission for the Assistance of a
    Free Cuba. It's a report from a Commission that I have put together in
    my administration to hasten the day that Cuba will be a free country.
        We believe the people of Cuba should be free from tyranny. We
    believe the future of Cuba is a future of freedom. It's in our Nation's
    interest that Cuba be free. It's in the neighborhood's interest that
    Cuba be free. More importantly, it's in the interest of the Cuban people
    that they be free from tyranny.
        This strategy is a strategy that encourages the spending of money to
    help organizations to protect dissidents and to promote human rights. It
    is a strategy that encourages a clear voice of the truth being spoken to
    the Cuban people through Radio and TV Marti. It is a strategy that will
    prevent the regime from exploiting hard currency of tourists and of
    remittances to Cubans to prop up their repressive regime. It is a
    strategy that says we're not waiting for the day of Cuban freedom; we
    are working for the day of freedom in Cuba.
        The Commissioners did good work. I appreciate it, Mr.
    Secretary. Thank you for coming.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:20 a.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the
    White House. In his remarks, he referred to Secretary of State Colin L.
    Powell. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish
    language transcript of these remarks. A tape was not available for
    verification of the content of these remarks.