Speech #990062327

It recklessly and maliciously suspends an accord which provides mutual benefits to both our countries. An accord which eases many of the undue hardships imposed on the Cuban people. The suspension reneges on Cubas commitment to the establishment of standard immigration privileges for its people. As a result. the Cuban people are denied what should be available to all human beings. the right to free and unhindered immigration. the opportunity for family reunification. and basic freedom for Cuban political prisoners. Our State Department has announced its decision to halt the granting of visas in Havana. In essence. both countries are back to the policies that prevailed before the December 14 immigration accord. What is truly unfortunate is that this action only sets to pose hardship on the Cuban people and not its government. The Cuban Government has a 25year record of imposing hardship on its people. The United States should not be in position of punishing innocent Cubans for the actions of their most irrational leader. Cubans applying for visas in Havana should be afforded the same opportunity as those afforded to other people of the world. Their applications should not be denied to them because of the actions of Fidel Castro. This would be tantamount to denying Soviet Jews exit permits from their country because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Our immigration policy must not be dictated to us by Fidel Castro. We must treat Cuban applicants for visas in a consistent manner. Denying them their right to emigrate amounts to punishing them for a wrong they did not commit. Worse than thatit is punishing them for the actions of Fidel Castro. The ramifications of the action taken by the Cuban Government has recently intensified. A few weeks ago. the Costa Rican Government announced it will no longer issue entrance papers to Cubans who had been using Costa Rica as a third country for entry into the United States. Thus another door has been shut on Cubans wishing to legally emigrate from Cuba. I believe the halting of the issuance of visas in Havana is counter productive. but I do understand the State Departments desire to do something in the face of Castros overreaction. We must denounce the Cuban Governments irresponsible behavior. And we must pursue all efforts to alleviate the hardships imposed on Cubans by their Governments actions and our own Governments forced policy.