By Ken Guggenheim Associated Press Writer. Postnet.com. News Commentary. Sep. 19, 2000
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A federal study on how the 38-year-old U.S. embargo on Cuba has affected both nations' economies is the spark for a renewed dispute over the sanctions.
The International Trade Commission study, due Feb. 15, won't make recommendations about whether to continue the sanctions. But both supporters and opponents of the embargo planned to state their cases at a hearing Tuesday that's part of the study process.
So many people have asked to testify -- 36 as of Monday -- that commissioners had to add a second day of hearings. It promised to be one of the biggest forums ever held in Washington on the sanctions.
"You could almost say this is going to be the Woodstock of the Cuba issue,'' John Kavulich, president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, said of the large anticipated crowd. "But in Woodstock, there were mostly people of like minds.''
Among those participating: Cuban exile groups that favor sanctions to pressure Fidel Castro's government, humanitarian groups who say the sanctions hurt innocent people, businesses and agricultural groups that believe they would benefit from trade with Cuba and others that believe they would be
hurt.
Cuba has been receiving renewed attention with some farm-state Republicans joining liberal Democrats in favoring the easing of restrictions on the sales of food and medicine.
The Cuban exile movement, which favors maintaining the sanctions, was weakened following the battle over Elian Gonzalez, the young castaway who returned to Cuba after a long dispute between his father and his Florida relatives. Also, the debate over trade relations with China has made some
lawmakers take a new look at Cuba.
Concerns that sanctions could be eased have "galvanized'' embargo supporters, said Dennis K. Hays, executive vice president of the Cuban-American National Foundation.
"It's no longer possible to sit on the sidelines,'' he said.
Some advocates of the embargo are skeptical about the study's importance, noting that it was requested by an opponent of the sanctions, Rep. Charles Rangel, N.Y., the ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee. They question the study's ability to gauge how the United States and Cuba
would be affected if the embargo were lifted.
"It's very difficult to quantify the impact of what are you not making,'' said Otto Reich, an international business consultant and former ambassador to Venezuela.
But other analysts see the report as unique because the commission is independent and nonpartisan. Two commission economists visited Cuba in July, meeting with government officials. They are also conducting a survey of U.S. businesses and trade organizations.
Philip Peters, vice president of the Lexington Institute think tank, said the commission's report could be influential, given the depth of its research and its objectivity
"They are authoritative, they don't have a dog in this fight,'' he said. "They have tremendous resources, so they are going to be able to do a pretty thorough look at the impact of the sanctions and the potential trade that could flow.'' | 