2008-05-04. United States Interests Section, Havana, Cuba,
http://havana.usinterestsection.gov/
Daily Press Briefing Tom Casey, Deputy Spokesman Washington, DC May 1, 2008
QUESTION: And also on May Day, have any of the economic and social
changes Raul Castro has made in Cuba changed American policy over the
last few months?
MR. CASEY: No.
QUESTION: What can he do to change American policy?
MR. CASEY: What can he do? Well, I'm glad you asked that question. I'm
not sure some of your colleagues are. No, seriously, look, we've
enunciated, I think, very clearly, what we would expect from a
government in Cuba in order to achieve a different kind of relationship
with the United States. That starts, first and foremost, with releasing
the scores of political prisoners who are currently in jail, have been
in jail, both under Fidel Castro and Raul Castro. It would include doing
things like not breaking up and harassing those relatives of prisoners
who try to demonstrate their support for their family members and their
desire to see them released. The Damas de Blanco recently had a rally
broken up in a rather nasty way by the Cuban Government. It would
include, in addition to letting people go that they've already unjustly
imprisoned, allowing citizens of that country to have some basic
political rights, to be able to stand in the squares and town halls in
Cuba and actually protest actions by the government, actually not have
to be fearful that any criticism of the government would wind them up in
prison.
And then, most importantly, the real way that the Government of Cuba can
show it's serious about reform is by starting a process that would lead
to free and fair elections, that would allow the people of that nation
an opportunity to actually choose their leaders in a multiparty,
multicandidate election that would allow them a real choice and a real
opportunity to decide who's going to lead their country. Yeah, Sue.
http://www.miscelaneasdecuba.net/web/article.asp?artID=15164
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