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Rice Chairs Meeting of
Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba
"Now is the time
for change in Cuba," says secretary
of state
Washington
File, DC, 20 December 2005.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice chaired
a December 19 meeting of the Commission
for Assistance to a Free Cuba, and she issued
a statement later that day calling for a
speedy transition to democracy in Cuba.
The commission was established by President
Bush in 2003 to explore ways that the United
States can help hasten and facilitate a
democratic transition in Cuba. The island
nation has been ruled by the regime of dictator
Fidel Castro since 1959.
"Reconvening the Commission at this
time sends an important message to the people
of Cuba, the current dictatorship, and our
friends and democratic allies: after 46
years of cruel dictatorship, now is the
time for change in Cuba," said Rice.
While the United States is prepared to
assist Cubans' efforts to create a democratic
society in their homeland, "a genuine
transition to political and economic freedom
must be led by the people of Cuba,"
Rice added. "The work we do now will
ensure that our government is fully prepared,
if asked, to assist a genuine Cuban transition
government committed to democracy and which
will lead to Cuba's reintegration into the
inter-American system."
For additional information on U.S. policy,
see Cuba.
Following is the full text of Rice's statement:
(begin text)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
December 19, 2005
Statement by Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice
Meeting of the Commission for Assistance
to a Free Cuba
This afternoon, I chaired a meeting of
the Commission for Assistance to a Free
Cuba. The President originally formed this
Cabinet-level Commission in 2003 to explore
ways the U.S. can help hasten and ease a
democratic transition in Cuba. The Commission
last met in May 2004 to present its first
report to the President.
Reconvening the Commission at this time
sends an important message to the people
of Cuba, the current dictatorship, and our
friends and democratic allies: after 46
years of cruel dictatorship, now is the
time for change in Cuba.
By integrating U.S. Cuba policy across
all agencies of the federal government and
implementing recommendations in the Commission's
first report, we have empowered Cuban civil
society to better organize and advocate
for democratic change; we have established
measures that denied millions of dollars
in revenue to the dictatorship; we are breaking
the regime's information blockade on the
Cuban people; and we have drawn greater
attention to the dictatorship's deplorable
treatment of the Cuban people.
The Commission was reconvened to identify
additional measures to help Cubans hasten
the day when they will be free from oppression
and to develop a concise but flexible strategic
plan that will help the Cuban people move
rapidly toward free and fair democratic
elections. This plan will not be an imposition
but rather is a promise we will keep with
the Cuban people to marshal our resources
and expertise, and encourage our democratic
allies to be ready to support Cuba when
the inevitable opportunity for genuine change
arises.
A genuine transition to political and economic
freedom must be led by the people of Cuba.
The work we do now will ensure that our
government is fully prepared, if asked,
to assist a genuine Cuban transition government
committed to democracy and which will lead
to Cuba's reintegration into the inter-American
system.
By May 2006, the Commission will prepare
a second report to the President with both
updated recommendations to hasten democracy,
and an inter-agency strategic plan to assist
a Cuban-led transition.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Bureau
of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
U.S. Department of State's
Bureau of International Information Programs.
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