The Clinton administration is debating whether to revoke a pair of relatively mild economic sanctions imposed on Cuba last August, when thousands of Cuban boat emigrants were seeking entry into the United States.
A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity Tuesday, said some Clinton advisers are pushing to lift a ban on Cuban exiles sending cash to relatives on the island and ease restrictions on travel by U.S. citizens to Cuba.But aides said a recommendation has not gone to President Clinton, whose advisers are debating a wide and conflicting range of options on Cuba.
White House press secretary Mike McCurry said Tuesday Clinton remains firmly in support of a broad economic embargo against Cuba, despite resistance from other Western Hemisphere nations.
"There is no review or change in our view that the embargo of Cuba is an effective tool," McCurry said.
Clinton imposed the mild sanctions last August to appease members of the Cuban-American community angered by his decision then to deny some 30,000 Cuban boat emigrants entry to the United States.
Cuba later agreed to stop the mass exodus after the United States guaranteed 20,000 visas would be issued annually to Cubans to settle in the United States.
The Washington Post, which first reported the discussions, said the proponents of easing the sanctions believe they should now be removed because their original purpose - persuading Cuba to curb the exodus - had been accomplished.
But a State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he believes that argument is flawed because the United States is still dealing with the consequences of Cuba's decision to permit the exodus.
He pointed out that six months after the exodus ended, 24,000 Cuban migrants remain at the Guantanamo Naval Base, at a heavy cost to the U.S. government.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., said easing sanctions makes sense only if its part of a deal with President Fidel Castro.
"My own only caution to the administration would be that they had better have a clear commitment from Castro to go to democracy before they start backing off," Gingrich said.
Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also made clear his opposition to any gestures to Castro.
A committee spokesman, Marc Thiessen, said there is bipartisan support for a Helms proposal to tighten sanctions against Cuba.
"If the Clinton administration wants to pick a fight, we won't shy away," Thiessen said. He added, "Why they would want to pick a fight on this is beyond me."