[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 29 (Monday, July 20, 1998)]
[Pages 1397-1398]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Action on Title III of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic 
Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996

July 16, 1998

    Today I am notifying the Congress of my decision to suspend for an 
additional 6 months the provision of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic 
Solidarity Act (LIBERTAD Act) allowing U.S. nationals to file suit 
against foreign firms trafficking in confiscated properties in Cuba. I 
have made this decision because of my strong commitment to implementing 
the Act in a way that best advances U.S. national interests and hastens 
a peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba.
    In January 1997 I said that I expected to continue suspending this 
provision of the Act so long as our friends and allies continue their 
stepped-up efforts to promote a democratic transition in Cuba. I made 
this decision to take advantage of the growing realization throughout 
the world, in Europe and Latin America especially, that Cuba must 
change. We and our allies agree on the importance of promoting 
democracy, human rights, and fundamental freedoms in Cuba, and over the 
past 2 years we have worked together to support concrete measures that 
promote peaceful change.
    Events in the past 6 months reaffirm that international cooperation 
for Cuban democracy is increasing. The January visit of His Holiness 
John Paul II inspired the Cuban people and gave encouragement to the 
Cuban Catholic Church and Cuban advocates for democratic change. The 
Pope gave hope to the Cuban people when he called for greater freedom 
and respect for individual rights.
    Building on the Pope's important visit, European Union (EU) member 
states have reiterated their commitment to democratic transition in Cuba 
and, in June, as a group reaffirmed their Common Position on Cuba, 
committing them to take concrete steps toward that end. The EU has 
continued to urge Cuba to release imprisoned dissidents and stop 
harassing people who seek peaceful democratic change. The EU Working 
Group on Human Rights, formed last year among embassies in Havana, has 
met with Cuban dissidents. These are positive steps, and we encourage 
the EU to be even more active in their efforts.
    On May 18, we and our EU allies reached the Understanding with 
Respect to Disciplines on Expropriated Property, a major advance in our 
efforts to protect property rights worldwide, including in Cuba. By 
discouraging investment in illegally expropriated property, the 
Understanding sends a strong signal that Cuba must follow the rule of 
law and respect fundamental rights. Of particular importance, the EU 
nations expressly acknowledged that the Cuban Government's expropriation 
of property from U.S. citizens appears to have been contrary to 
international law. We will work with the Congress to bring this 
important U.S.-EU understanding into effect.
    Nations of the Americas are also working for democracy in Cuba. In 
the last 6 months, the Presidents of Argentina, Brazil, El Salvador, and 
Nicaragua have restated calls for Cuba to begin a democratic transition. 
Brazil's foreign minister met with a leading dissident in Cuba and took 
the opportunity to voice strong support for human rights.
    Government cooperation has been reinforced by the efforts of 
international nongovernmental organizations (NGO's), which have 
increased support for dissidents and helped focus attention on Cuban 
Government repression. The Dutch group Pax Christi has reported on 
political and religious repression. Amnesty International has maintained 
pressure on Cuba to release members of the Dissident Working Group who 
were arrested in July 1997, and issued a special report on new cases of 
imprisonment for political offenses. The international effort to promote 
``best business practices'' in Cuba is also advancing, with several 
NGO's developing a working group to encourage businesses to support 
fundamental rights.

[[Page 1398]]

    Thus, we see progress on many fronts in our effort to promote 
international cooperation to bring democracy and human rights to the 
Cuban people. There is still much to be done, and we will continue to 
work with our friends and allies on effective measures to bring a 
peaceful transition to a free Cuba.