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CNN Live Today

President Bush Rules Out Changes to Cuba Trade Sanctions

Aired May 20, 2002 - 14:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush spending much of this day ruling out any change to a longstanding ban on U.S. trade with Communist Cuba. In just about an hour's time, in fact, he will make his case to a group that the Republican party takes quite seriously in southern Florida. We get a preview at the White House, front lawn again, here's Kathleen Koch watching this. Kathleen, good afternoon.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Bill. Well, if anyone had any illusions that former President Jimmy Carter's visit to Cuba last week would lead to an easing of those trade sanctions, President Bush very firmly put that idea to rest this morning.

Now, President Bush, who left the White House about two hours ago heading down to Miami, said that he did sympathize with -- he expressed concern for the grinding poverty of the Cuban people. But he blamed not on the U.S. trade restrictions, but on Fidel Castro, calling him a brutal tyrant. President Bush said the U.S. is ready to act, perhaps dropping that embargo once Castro agrees to fundamental reforms.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If Cuba's government takes all the necessary steps to ensure that the 2003 elections are certifiably free and fair, certifiably free and fair, and if Cuba also begins to adopt meaningful market-based reforms, then and only then, I will work with the United States Congress to ease the ban on trade and travel between our two countries.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: In the interim, President Bush said the United States will help the Cuban people by resuming mail service between the two countries, relaxing aid restrictions for non-profit organizations who want to help the Cuban people, and also by establishing U.S. scholarships for Cuban students and professionals who want to build independent, civil institutions in Cuba, and also for scholarships for the families of political prisoners who are imprisoned in Cuba.

Now, Bill, obviously this is a very hot political issue. The Cuban-American community in Miami very powerful, very instrumental, as you'll recall, in the election of this president, and also the Republican party down in Florida is depending on their votes in helping to re-elect Jeb Bush, the president's brother who is again running for governor of Florida. Back to you.

HEMMER: Kathleen, thanks. Again, about an hour's time away from that speech. We will carry it live to our viewers here on CNN, so stay tuned for that.

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