Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Sunday Morning

Carter to Make History

Aired May 12, 2002 - 09:03   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, as former president Jimmy Carter's plane touches down in Cuba this morning, he will make history. Carter is the first president to visit Cuba in more than 70 years and more importantly, the first to visit during Fidel Castro's reign. CNN's John Zarella is in Havana. He joins us now with more. Hi, John.

JOHN ZARELLA, CNN: Hi, Kyra. That's exactly right. He'll be touching down a little over an hour and a half from now, and a lot of things have changed here on the Communist island, certainly since Calvin Coolidge last visited here in 1928. Now, the express purpose of the five-day visit is to explore issues of mutual interest between the United States and Cuba, and to see if the two can share ideas -- that being former president Carter and Cuban leaders -- on how to better relations between the two nations.

As we all know, the Bush administration has taken a very hard- line stand against Communist Cuba, wanting the Cuban president Fidel Castro to transition into democratic elections, human rights for everyone on the island, and that is the message that they hope that the former president is going to bring down here.

But at the same time, former president Jimmy Carter is against the U.S. embargo against Cuba and has made no bones about it. When he arrives here at about 10:45, we expect a ceremony at the airport, perhaps some opening statements from both the former president and Fidel Castro.

Then, the day will be filled with other meetings on the agenda; the former president will first go on a tour of the old city here in Havana, then he will meet with Cuba's foreign minister here, then he will meet with the head of the U.S. interest section here in Havana, Vicky Huddleston (ph), who represents U.S. interests on the island, and then this evening there will be a state dinner with President Fidel Castro.

Later in the week, Jimmy Carter will address, in Spanish, the nation in a speech that we understand no advanced copy of has been given to the Cuban government. And he will also meet with dissidents here.

Now, President Carter has had quite a bit of success in the past during his administration. He was responsible in a deal for the freeing of 3600 political prisoners, establishing the intersection here in Havana, and the one in Washington, D.C., and also the establishing of the charter flights that allow Cuban-Americans in Miami to come once a year to visit their relatives here.

So, although he has a very tough task ahead of him, if he expects to accomplish anything substantive here on the island, he certainly has a track record of doing that with President Fidel Castro. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, John, we've established the political implications -- what the United States wants out of this, especially talk about democracy. But what about for the average Cuban?

ZARELLA: You know what the average Cubans want? They, too, tell us when we talk with them, that they want to see the U.S. Trade Embargo lifted. Because, for 40 years the Castro government has pounded into their heads that it is the U.S. Trade Embargo against Cuba that has led to many of the problems, the shortages that they have here in this country.

For example, right now there's been a gasoline shortage in Havana. And there's even been a pepper shortage -- you can't find pepper in the restaurants. Maybe that's mundane things, but there are things in Havana, everything, for the most part that the Castro government has been able to blame on the U.S. Trade Embargo. And, that's what the Cuban people say they want to see go away is the trade embargo, because they believe that would lead to better living conditions for all of them here on the island. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, John Zarella. Continue checking with you, and CNN will bring you that live coverage of Carter and Castro's get together when, indeed, it happens. Thank you, John.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com