Reply #13: Kick for context, lots of news and editorials on Cuba today [View All]

[Osolomia]

Rice's letter answers criticism from Cuban-American legislators

The Associated Press

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. --
National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice has sent a letter to 13 Republican state lawmakers to reassure them that President Bush's administration is committed to bringing a transition to democracy in Cuba.

The letter, dated Sept. 3, comes about a month after the legislators warned President Bush that he could lose their support for the 2004 election if he fails to adopt a tougher Cuba policy.

In the letter, Rice points out some of the steps the White House has taken to encourage democracy on the island. Among those were shutting down Cuban spy rings in this country, opposing efforts to weaken sanctions and travel bans and sending assistance to families of political prisoners of Fidel Castro's government.

"The president remains committed to helping the Cuban people bring about a peaceful, rapid end to the Castro dictatorship," Rice wrote.

State Rep. David Rivera, R-Miami, one of the lawmakers who signed the legislators' August letter outlining their concerns, said Rice's letter was a good start but does not go far enough.

"It demonstrates that President Bush has a strong record on Cuba policy that Cuban-Americans appreciate," Rivera told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "What's important now, however, particularly as we approach the (2004) election, is the need to distinguish President Bush's record from past and future Democratic nominees."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=118499