Havana. March 30, 2005
(from Granma Internacional)
US congressmen speak out against trade and travel restrictions
HAVANA—Republican Congressman Jeff Flake (Arizona) announced in this city that he would present a budget amendment before Congress to eliminate restrictions on travel and trade with Cuba, Notimex reported.
Flake made the announcement together with Republican Congressman Wally Herger (California), who traveled with him to Cuba.
Both legislators affirmed that other congressmen support changing current US policy toward Cuba, which President George W. Bush proposes to maintain.
The two US representatives commented that “Americans believe in free trade” and asked why the U.S. can’t trade freely with Cuba, like it does with countries such as China and Vietnam.
In a statement to journalists at the Hotel Nacional in Havana, they said that Congress now has members who did not live through the Cold War and are not bound by previous votes against relations with Cuba.
Herger and Flake met with Foreign Minister Felipe Pérez Roque, Parliamentary President Ricardo Alarcón and Pedro Alvarez, director of the Cuban food import enterprise Alimport.
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