|
Mon Mar 25, 2:00 PM ET
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration is studying former President
Carter's request to travel to Cuba this year. If he gets the green light, the
White House wants Carter to push for human rights, a spokesman said.
The Treasury Department (news - web sites), which issues permits for Cuba
travel, is considering the matter, said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer
(news - web sites).
Under provisions that restrict travel to Cuba, people seeking to visit the
country for humanitarian purposes need to get permission from the Treasury
Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, a department spokeswoman said.
Applicants must write a letter and provide information, details and
documentation about the trip in order to get permission.
The spokeswoman said she did not know the status of Carter's request.
"The law is clear, the law will be obeyed," Fleischer said Monday.
Fleischer said President Bush (news - web sites) would want Carter to carry
a "very direct, straightforward message" to the Cuban leadership. "In
order to have human rights in Cuba, it's important for Fidel Castro (news - web
sites) to allow democracy to take root, to stop repression, to stop
imprisonments, to bring freedom to the people of Cuba," Fleischer said.
A Carter spokeswoman said over the weekend that the former president
received an invitation to visit Cuba from Castro.
Carter said Friday he expects the Bush administration's "tacit
approval, not their blessing." He wants to talk about expanding trade and
tourism, he said. | 
