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CNN Sunday Morning

Bush Administration Not Embracing Carter Trip to Cuba

Aired May 12, 2002 - 10:07   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: Let's get the White House reaction to Mr. Carter's trip. President Bush is scheduled to return to the White House this afternoon from Camp David. White House correspondent Kelly Wallace joins us once again from the chief executive mansion. Hello, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello again to you, Kyra. You know, the White House is not strongly embracing this trip of former President Carter to Cuba. It's not strongly endorsing it. But it is also not standing in the way either, choosing to allow the former president to travel there.

The former president and the current president, President Bush, have not always seen eye to eye on all issues. This one no different. You see the two leaders there together in the White House last summer. Because President Carter is a strong opponent of the current trade embargo against Cuba. But this administration says that embargo will remain in place until Democratic change comes to the communist island.

The administration has said it has asked the former president to ask for human rights and free elections while he is there. There are other messages being sent as well. This past week, a top State Department official announcing that this administration believes that Castro's Cuba is developing biological weapons, the first time this administration making such a public accusation.

Fidel Castro strongly denouncing it, saying that is false, charging the accusation is simply a way to counter growing American support for easing some of the trade restrictions and travel restrictions between the U.S. and Cuba. But U.S. officials we've talked to say this administration would not have gone forward with such an accusation, if it did not have the evidence to support it, although U.S. officials will not talk about the evidence they say they have.

Now, Kyra, President Carter was given a briefing last week by the State Department. It doesn't appear he's talked to President Bush before going to Cuba. When I asked a senior official what this administration expected of this visit, this official said he simply did not know. You get the sense the administration doesn't have high expectations of the visit. It certainly will be watching closely as well -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Kelly Wallace, thank you so much. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com