17 April 2003
U.S. Goal is "Rapid, Peaceful" Transition to Democracy in Cuba
(White House Report, April 17: Cuba; Spain; Iraq; North Korea; Japan)
(1040)
The White House has added its voice to those of the international
figures and organizations denouncing the Castro regime for its arrest
and sentencing of Cuban dissidents it accuses of collaborating with
the United States.
"The United States has clearly condemned the Cuban regime's crackdown
on independent civil society," said White House Deputy Assistant Press
Secretary Claire Buchan. "It's important to note the international
attention and condemnation against Cuba. The U.N. Human Rights
Commission has passed a resolution expressing concern about the human
rights situation in Cuba."
"Cuba's efforts to silence voices of opposition only make our policy
goal of encouraging rapid, peaceful transition to democracy more
relevant and more urgent, and we'll continue to work with independent
Cuban civil society and with the Cuban people -- and are willing to
consider steps to advance that policy goal in this climate," Buchan
added.
Buchan, who briefed reporters in Crawford, Texas, while the president
vacationed at his family ranch, referred to Secretary of State Colin
Powell's recent statements against the Cuban government's actions.
Secretary Powell, she noted, "denounced this most significant act of
political repression in decades, and he called on Castro to end the
repression and free the prisoners of conscience."
BUSH, AZNAR DISCUSS EUROPEAN SUPPORT ON IRAQ, MIDEAST
President Bush began the day April 17 at his Texas ranch with a phone
call to Jose Maria Aznar, president of the government of Spain. The
two leaders discussed European support for a new Iraq, coalition
efforts, and potential progress on Israel-Palestine issues.
NO TIMELINE YET FOR U.N. WMD INSPECTIONS IN IRAQ
Although United Nations chief weapons inspector Hans Blix is
interested in returning to Iraq to resume his search for weapons of
mass destruction, the White House says the United States military is
currently focused on that mission.
"(M)ilitary operations are still under way in Iraq, and finding
weapons of mass destruction continues to be one of their goals,"
Buchan told reporters. "At some point the U.N. inspections will be an
issue that will need to be addressed. But at this point the U.S. and
coalition forces are still engaged in action." She said she was
unaware of any timeline for resuming U.N. inspections.
U.S., CHINA TO BEGIN TALKS WITH NORTH KOREA
White House Deputy Press Secretary Scott McClellan confirmed April 16
that diplomats from the United States and China will meet with North
Korean officials in Beijing to begin trilateral talks aimed at
addressing North Korea's purported nuclear program.
"We're very pleased with the involvement of the Chinese, said
McClellan. "The Chinese agree fully with the United States that the
Korean peninsula must be free of nuclear weapons, as do all of North
Korea's neighbors, and that's important. We look forward to future
talks, too, that include everybody in the region."
Senior U.S. officials had urged China, Japan and South Korea to press
North Korea to agree to multilateral talks. The White House is
pleased, McClellan said, with the involvement of all three nations in
handling the North Korean issue.
At the time of this report, the exact dates of the talks had not been
announced but McClellan told journalists aboard Air Force One April 16
the meetings in Beijing could begin "as early as next week."
BUSH THANKS JAPAN FOR SUPPORT IN IRAQ
President Bush thanked Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi by
phone April 16 for his "strong support on Iraq." The two leaders
discussed cooperation on reconstruction efforts in Iraq, and Koizumi
welcomed the progress on the upcoming multilateral talks with North
Korea.
BUSH ANNOUNCES NOMINATIONS
President Bush announced his intention to nominate four individuals as
U.S. Ambassadors to countries overseas:
The President intends to nominate Harry K. Thomas, Jr. of New York, to
be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States
of America to the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Mr. Thomas is
currently enrolled in Senior Seminar at the National Foreign Affairs
Training Center at the Department of State. He previously served on
the National Security Council as the Director for South Asia. Prior to
that assignment, he served as both Deputy Director and then Director
of the National Security Council's Operations Center. Mr. Thomas
earned his bachelor's degree from College of the Holy Cross.
The President intends to nominate William B. Wood of New York, to be
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of
America to the Republic of Colombia. Mr. Wood is currently enrolled in
Language Training at the National Foreign Affairs Training Center. He
previously served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for
the Bureau for International Organization Affairs. Mr. Wood has also
served as Director of the Washington Office of the United States
Mission to the United Nations. In addition to earning his bachelor's
degree from Bucknell University, Mr. Wood earned his MBA from George
Washington University.
The President intends to nominate Robert W. Fitts of New Hampshire, to
be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States
of America to Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and the Republic
of Vanuatu. Currently, Mr. Fitts serves as a Political Advisor for the
Southern Command at MacDill Air Force Base. He previously served as
Deputy Chief of Mission for the American Embassy in Manila. Earlier,
he served in the State Department's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific
Affairs as the Director of the Office of Philippines, Indonesia,
Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore Affairs. Mr. Fitts earned his
bachelor's degree from Tufts University.
The President intends to nominate Tracey Ann Jacobson of the District
of Columbia, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the
United States of America to the Republic of Turkmenistan. Ms. Jacobson
currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Mission for the U.S. Embassy
in Riga, Latvia. She previously served at the White House as Deputy
Executive Secretary and Senior Director of Administration for the
National Security Council. Ms. Jacobson is a graduate of Johns Hopkins
University. She earned a master's degree from The Nitze School of
Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University.
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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