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CNN Live Sunday

Carter Visits Cuba

Aired May 12, 2002 - 18:03   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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Taking you back now to our top story this hour, just 90 miles from U.S. shores, the doors of communist Cuba open wide for a former U.S. president today. Jimmy Carter arrived there this morning.

CNN's John Zarrella is traveling with the southern statesman, and joins us now from Havana with the very latest.

Hello.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Catherine, after the former president arrived at the Havana's Jose Martin (ph) Airport, both he and President Fidel Castro had opening statements at the airport. And during those opening statements, President Fidel Castro used the opportunity to blast some recent accusations that the Cuban government was involved in production of biological germ warfare weapons, and he told the former President Jimmy Carter that if he would like he could see for himself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FIDEL CASTRO, PRESIDENT OF CUBA (through translator): You will have free and full access with specialized staff that you may choose. You will have access to that, or to any other of our most prestigious scientific research centers, some of which have been recently accused -- some days before your visit, they have been accused of producing biological weapons.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZARRELLA: In fact, the former president will tour the facility tomorrow; it's called the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology. Last week, the whole controversy got started when a secretary -- Undersecretary of State for Arms Control John Bolton made remarks that -- accusatory -- that the Cuban government was involved in a production of limited offensive germ warfare weapons.

The Castro government since then has vigorously denied it. In fact, Cuban scientists went on the -- went on a rally last night, and they too vigorously denied it, saying that were interested in saving lives, producing medicine, not producing biological weapons.

Now, the former president's tour continued today after his arrival. The first stop on his tour was Havana Vieja, Old Havana. He and wife Rosalyn at one point, throughout there -- as you can see walking hand in hand through Old Havana, there with Usibio Laou (ph), who is Havana's historian, a man who knows everything about Old Havana and its history and its architecture involved in the recreation of the old city.

And finally this afternoon, with the foreign ministry, a meeting this afternoon with the foreign minister here, Philipe Rocque (ph). That meetings said to have been very cordial and to have gone very well.

Tonight here in Havana, a state dinner, Fidel Castro hosting the Carters.

This is John Zarrella reporting live from Havana.

CALLAWAY: John, I want to ask you a question about exactly what the president did today. We saw the video of him being escorted and walking around, but did he really have much of a chance to talk with the average Cuban there?

ZARRELLA: As a matter of fact, in that particular moment, while he was walking through Havana Vieja, he did have time to stop and chat. He does speak some Spanish, so he could converse with the Cuban folks here. And during the week, later in the week, he will make a speech televised on national television. That speech will be carried and unedited. It will be his own words. No advance copy given to the Cuban government.

And later in the week, he will be meeting with both religious and dissident leaders here. So, the president will have free and open run of whatever he wants to do, and President Fidel Castro made that perfectly clear during the opening remarks at the airport.

Catherine.

CALLAWAY: All right, John. John Zarrella from Havana. Thanks, John.

And while former President Carter pushes for improved U.S.-Cuban relations, President Bush is taking the opposite approach with plans to implement some tougher policies.

Let's go to CNN White House correspondent Kelly Wallace, who's joining us know with more on this. Kelly, what has been the White House reaction to all this?

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's interesting, Catherine, the administration not saying very much. You know, it did not block the visit of former President Carter to Cuba, but it's not strongly endorsing it either. U.S. officials simply saying, they hope that President Carter uses the visit to press for human rights reform and democratic change. You can see the president -- he arrived back here at the White House this afternoon after spending the weekend at Camp David.

But, Catherine, we have learned that the president next Monday, a week from tomorrow, is going to give a big speech when it comes to U.S. policy toward Cuba and also is going to travel to Miami in honor of Cuban Independence Day. Aides being very tight-lipped so far, but they are saying likely to include a tougher stance when it comes to Fidel Castro, and that would include tightening not easing restrictions on trade and travel with Cuba.

That's what the president expects to unveil about a week from now, Catherine.

CALLAWAY: That's an interesting development, Kelly. Is it a reaction to the Carter visit? It also comes as members of Congress have pushed to see that some of the economic and travel restrictions were eased, so why now?

WALLACE: Well, it's interesting. You definitely have a debate; you do have many more lawmakers now saying that, look, this economic embargo and travel ban hasn't worked. Fidel Castro is still in power. Perhaps the administration should look at other ways to go and lift the economic and travel ban, but other lawmakers, particularly Cuban American lawmakers, want to see even tighter restrictions, and this administration seems to be going in that direction because it believes that by easing restrictions and opening up markets between the U.S. and Cuba, that would only lead to Fidel Castro staying in power, according to U.S. officials.

So, they think one way to put more pressure on Fidel Castro is to tighten restrictions and also include economic aid to Cuban dissidents and try and get U.S. government information to the Cuban people as a way to kind of foster democratic changes.

Interesting, though, Catherine, U.S. officials saying that the president's planned speech next Monday, is not in response to President Carter's visit, that this was planned all along, but it will certainly give the president an opportunity to counter anything, any pictures or images that come from President Carter's historic visit to Cuba -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: Now, Kelly, has there been any indication that this visit -- any concern from the White House that this visit by President Carter may give Fidel Castro an improved position -- and easing those restrictions -- you know -- will it validate Fidel Castro in any way?

WALLACE: Well, U.S. officials don't believe that this visit would validate Fidel Castro in any way, but they certainly know the power of these images, the power of seeing former President Carter talking to average Cuban people, meeting with some dissidents, meeting with human rights activists. That, that could in some way increase American sentiment that it's time to -- sort of -- ease the economic and travel band. U.S. officials still very much think the momentum is on their side and they're going to push for tighter restrictions, not any easing going on any time soon -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: All right, thank you. That's CNN correspondent Kelly Wallace. Thanks, Kelly.

WALLACE: Sure. CALLAWAY: So, what if any thing substantial can former President Carter's Cuba visit produce? I'm going to probe that question with Philip Peters, who's vice president of the Lexington Institute. Also joining us today is Dennis Hays, he is the executive vice president of the Cuban American Foundation, and both are joining us today from Washington.

Thank you both for being with us to discuss this trip, and, wow, what an interesting trip this is going to turn out to be. First I want to start with you, Dennis, and ask you about any opposition among the Cuban American community to President Carter's visit there.

DENNIS HAYS, CUBAN AMERICAN FOUNDATION: Well, there was. There was a lot concern, and I think today we've seen why -- because we have a former president of the United States who goes and meets, almost on an equal basis, with a man who has never been elected to anything.

Our organization, realizing that this was going to happen, nevertheless decided that we needed to work with President Carter, because we think he has a unique opportunity to reach past the official program and get directly to the Cuban people, and that's what we're waiting for in the rest of his visit.

CALLAWAY: Indeed, President Carter -- former President Carter has made it clear that -- in his actions -- that his concern, not just with Cuba, has been human rights. And Philip Peters, let me ask you about that. Isn't that truly his goal to see human rights improve there?

PHILIP PETERS, LEXINGTON INSTITUTE: Well, I think he wants to learn about Cuba, he wants to meet Castro, and sure he wants to talk about human rights. I'm a Republican; I never voted for the man, but I think that we all have to recognize that President Carter is a great human rights advocate, and he's going to carry that message.

CALLAWAY: Yes.

PETERS: I think the fact that he's going to be on Cuban television, we should all admit is a breakthrough.

CALLAWAY: That's amazing, yes.

PETERS: It's a breakthrough; it's a real breakthrough. When President Bush goes to China and he gets on Chinese television, he brags about it, as well he should. So, the fact that President Carter is going to be on and is going to deliver a message about human rights to the Cuban people is a good thing.

I'm sure he's also going to talk about his opposition to American policy. And that's one thing that surely makes the Bush administration uncomfortable.

CALLAWAY: Dennis, how do you feel about? You have to be pleased but -- Jimmy Carter has been given the opportunity to address the people of Cuba. HAYS: We are. But the key is, of course, what is it that he's going to say. Again, he has an opportunity to reach past the government. He can speak directly about human rights, about freedom, about the dignity of the individual. He can talk about -- there's a grassroots program to call for free elections and democracy, called the Varela Project.

CALLAWAY: Right, and we should mention that ...

HAYS: ... speaks about that.

(CROSSTALK)

CALLAWAY: I want to back up just a little bit, Dennis, and remind everyone that just yesterday, or just this week rather, that petition was presented to the National Assembly and accepted, which was a significant move. And it came right the day before Jimmy Carter's visit. So, good timing.

HAYS: Well, it's excellent timing. But again, unless the international community rallies around these very brave Cubans who literally are putting their livelihoods and perhaps even their lives on the line to do this, then the Cuban regime is going to crush this movement.

So, President Carter is in a great position -- and this is why we believe he has not just an opportunity, but almost an obligation to speak out directly to the Cuban people about the things that are going -- are important to them and the future of themselves and their children.

CALLAWAY: Philip, we just heard Kelly Wallace telling us about plans by the White House to perhaps ask for even tighter restrictions, economic restrictions and travel restrictions on Cuba, and this comes right as President Carter is making his -- former President Carter is making his visit to Cuba. Do you think the visit will have any effect on the U.S. policy?

PETERS: Well, I don't think it will change U.S. policy, but I think it's an important trip because it's going to highlight the fact that Americans can engage with Cuba. President Carter is going to engage with the Cuban president; he's going to press him on human rights; he's going to be on television. He's going to highlight the benefits that can come from trading with Cuba, from working with them on interdicting drug trafficking, controlling migration.

These are all things that we can build on, and I think that, following on her report, it's something that makes the Bush administration uncomfortable because, number one, the Bush administration's policy toward Cuba can't be explained in terms of any of the principles or the long term strategy that we apply to other communist countries, like China. It just doesn't make any sense in that -- in that perspective. And he's on a collision course with the Congress. The Congress wants to open up with Cuba, and both to lift the travel ban and to expand trade and expand engagement. So, I think it puts the Bush administration in a tough spot. HAYS: Well, if I could jump in there. I really don't see that's the case. I mean, the issue here is the fact that the 40 plus years Fidel Castro has denied freedom and hope to his people. And our policy, our program is to try to do that. And there's nothing that prevents Fidel Castro from relaxing his repression on his people at any date.

What we need to do is be consistent and have a consistent message of hope for the Cuban people, and that is as we stand by them until they're free.

CALLAWAY: Dennis, I know you'll be watching former President Carter's actions very closely on his visit to Cuba. Dennis Hays, thanks for being with us, and Philip Peters, thank you both for being with us and I wish we had more time, gentleman.

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