Do we really want to resolve Cuba problems? Follow up to Richardson’s trip
Photo Credit: http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0508/Hispanics/richardson.jpg
Bill Richardson returned from Cuba this last Friday after a weeklong trade and commerce delegation. I was told I should have reported on Friday about his trip, but press line after another reported the same thing over and over again.
And then I revisited a most informative blog posted a year ago from today, Bill Richardson Should Be Special Presidential US-Cuba Envoy, by The Washington Note’s popular blogger Steve Clemons. I suggest readers have a look after thinking about my questions posed below. Steve had the right consejos last year.
I pose several questions that I think beg our attention after we look at the information that is being currently circulated in the press and by word of mouth.
Let’s beg the straight question, why don’t we resolve relations with Cuba?
Governor Richardson has now made several trips to the island over his career, including during his service as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. He is no “newcomer” when it comes to foreign relations and his diplomatic experience includes negotiations with Iraq, North Korea, Sudan, and former Cuban President Fidel Castro, among others.
Richardson is highly qualified and experienced to negotiate a case, like that of the U.S. government contractor, Alan Gross. According to The Miami Herald, the State Department spokesman said department officials met with the governor last week and briefed him on the case of Alan P. Gross, a U.S. Agency for International Development subcontractor jailed in Cuba since Dec. 3., noting that “as we and others have done, we expect Gov. Richardson to urge the Cuban government to immediately release Mr. Gross,” said Charles Luoma-Overstreet, spokesman for Western Hemisphere Affairs.
However, the article states, in an e-mail to El Nuevo Herald from a senior official of the Obama administration, “He is not carrying a message from the administration.” Well why not? Who else is better qualified to negotiate with the Cubans?
I think it is unfortunate that the Obama administration did not give Richardson the official imprimatur to negotiate his release as a Special Presidential Envoy. The highest level public contacts/negotiations between our country and Cuba have been at the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State level (former Dept. Asst. Sec. State of Western Hemisphere and now U.S. Ambassador to Niger, Bisa Williams, and current Dept. Asst. Sec. State Craig Kelly). Why aren’t the negotiations moving to a higher level? We should all be clear and recognize why Mr. Gross is jailed in Cuba. Official engagement, diplomacy, and communication is the process to resolve this matter. It seems like there has been a fundamental disconnect from within. Governor Richardson has the connections in Cuba and yes, it is a highly sensitive case, however, I wonder if things would have been different had the Governor gone to Havana as President Obama’s envoy? It seems a lost opportunity having someone at the level of expertise and diplomacy of Richardson in Havana and not utilized in the most effective way possible by the Administration. Would the Governor’s meetings in Havana have been more productive? Lets hope that the Governor’s efforts do help pave the way for Mr. Gross’ release and the improvement of relations between both countries.
We have seen the successful progress the Catholic Church has made recently in the release of political dissidents/ prisoners on the island. Hillary Clinton took the news as a positive sign; one of those “concessions” that Cuba needed to make…well Ms. Clinton, Cuba has acted. So how do we reciprocate?
Does the Administration want change in our relations with Cuba? If it does, then it has to get serious. The generals need to start speaking with each other. Or is there a special interests group (Capitol Hill Cubans/ U.S.-Cuba Democracy PAC) at work here facilitating the pressure on the Administration not to move forward? One million dollars in campaign donations to congressional candidates every election cycle does not go unnoticed –the sad tale of Washington DC politics. Could it be that this interest group benefits from Alan Gross being jailed in Cuba in order to continue to preach “non-engagement” and “pro-embargo” talking points and funding?
Follow the money trail.
-Angelica Salazar
