Sections

Deal will stiffen sanctions on Cuba

WASHINGTON -- President Clinton and congressional negotiators struck a deal yesterday on legislation to stiffen sanctions against Cuba, assuring the bill's swift enactment as a bipartisan act of retaliation for Cuba's shoot-down of two civilian aircraft off its coast last weekend.

The bill was overwhelmingly approved by a House-Senate conference and put on a fast track for passage after a compromise was worked out on a critical provision aimed at punishing foreign firms that profit from property expropriated by Cuban President Fidel Castro's regime over the past 36 years.

Final passage could come next week.

"Farewell Fidel, that's the message of this bill," said Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), the bill's chief sponsor in the Senate, echoing comments of many lawmakers that the tightened sanctions would dry up foreign investment in Cuba and drive Castro from power.

Clinton, who earlier had opposed the measure, "will sign the bill if passed and will encourage members of Congress to support it," White House spokesperson Michael McCurry said shortly after the agreement was announced. Another White House official said "we knew we were goners on this legislation" after the planes were shot down but were "pleasantly surprised" by cooperation from Capitol Hill in reaching a compromise.

In announcing U.S. retaliation moves against Cuba on Monday, Clinton had said he wanted to work with Congress to agree on a bill he could sign. As part of yesterday's compromise, the White House accepted a provision it opposed earlier that would give Cuban-Americans and others the right to sue in U.S. courts for compensation from third-country firms that buy, improve or expand property originally expropriated from the exiles by the Cuban government.

To win Clinton's approval, Republicans and their Democratic congressional allies agreed to allow the president to delay implementation of the provision for unlimited six-month intervals if he determines the delay is "necessary to the national interest" and likely to "expedite a transition to democracy in Cuba."

The lawsuit's provision was made effective Aug. 1, just as the presidential campaign moves toward conclusion, making it politically difficult for Clinton to delay implementation.

Clinton agreed to two other provisions from Republican leaders. One would codify existing executive orders and regulations imposing a trade embargo on Cuba, meaning they could not be lifted or modified without congressional approval. The other would prohibit visas for individuals and family members of individuals who "traffic" in any way in expropriated property after enactment of the legislation, which could include improvements or expansion of existing investments.

The legislation would also seek to bar countries from buying Cuban sugar and other products and then reselling them in the United States to skirt the existing trade embargo, cut aid to Russia if Moscow supports an electronic intelligence-gathering facility in Cuba and try to block Cuba from joining international financial institutions.

It also calls on the administration to seek an international embargo against Cuba, which was last rejected by the United Nations by a vote of 117 to 3.

The new sanctions are already stirring opposition among other countries that trade with Cuba, including Canada, and a number of the United States' European allies, and opponents of the legislation have warned they could lead to retaliation against American business interests elsewhere. Rep. Lee Hamilton (D-Ind.), one of four Democrats who voted against the bill Wednesday, argued it was likely to isolate the Cuban people, precipitate violent upheavals and produce other exodus of refugees to the United States.