[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 1 (Monday, January 11, 1999)]
[Pages 7-8]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on United States Policy Toward Cuba

January 5, 1999

    Last March, in the wake of Pope John Paul's historic visit to Cuba, 
I authorized measures designed to ease the plight of the Cuban people 
and help them prepare for a democratic future. The restoration of direct 
passenger flights, resumption of family remittances, expansion of 
people-to-people contacts, and increases in the sale of medicines since 
then have had a positive impact. They demonstrate the United States' 
compassion for the Cuban people, our strong interest in building bonds 
between the citizens of our nations, and our determination to provide 
the people of Cuba with hope in their struggle against a system that for 
four decades has denied them even basic human rights.
    Building on the success of the measures I announced last March, I am 
today authorizing additional steps to reach out to the Cuban people:
    --Expansion of remittances by allowing any U.S. resident (not only 
      those with families in Cuba) to send limited funds to individual 
      Cuban families as well as to organizations independent of the 
      government.
    --Expansion of people-to-people contact through two-way exchanges 
      among academics, athletes, scientists, and others, including 
      streamlining the approval process for such visits.
    --Authorization of the sale of food and agricultural inputs to 
      independent non-governmental entities, including religious groups 
      and Cuba's emerging private sector, such as family restaurants and 
      private farmers.
    --Authorization of charter passenger flights to cities in Cuba other 
      than Havana and from some cities in the United States other than 
      Miami in order to facilitate family reunification for persons 
      living outside those cities.
    --An effort to establish direct mail service to Cuba, as provided 
      for in the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992.
    At the same time, we are taking steps to increase the flow of 
information to the Cuban people and others around the world, by 
strengthening Radio and TV Marti and launching new public diplomacy 
programs in Latin America and Europe to keep international attention 
focused on the need for change in Cuba. The United States will continue 
to urge the international community to do more to promote respect for 
human rights and democratic transition in Cuba.
    I am also pleased to announce that I intend to nominate Mr. Jose 
``Pepe'' Collado and Ms. Avis Lavelle as members of the Advisory Board 
for Cuba Broadcasting. I further intend to designate Mr. Collado as 
Chairman upon confirmation by the Senate. This important advisory body 
has been without a Chairman since the death of Jorge Mas Canosa more 
than a year ago. We are processing other nominations and, in cooperation 
with congressional leaders, will continue to name members of this 
bipartisan board.
    These steps are designed to help the Cuban people without 
strengthening the Cuban Government. They are consistent with our policy 
of keeping pressure on the regime for democratic change--through the

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embargo and vigorous diplomatic initiatives--while finding ways to reach 
out to the Cuban people through humanitarian efforts and help in 
developing civil society. They are also consistent with the Cuban 
Democracy Act and the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act. They 
reflect a strong and growing bipartisan consensus that the United States 
can and should do more to work with the Cuban people toward a future of 
democracy and prosperity.