[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 19 (Monday, May 10, 2004)]
[Pages 799-800]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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

[[Page 800]]

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.