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06 May 2004

President Bush Calls for Freedom in Cuba

White House receives report on hastening transition to democracy

The United States believes Cuba should be free and that it is in the best interests of the Cuban people, the United States, and the entire Western Hemisphere that Cuba be free from tyranny, says President Bush.

Bush established the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba in October 2003 to hasten Cuba's transition to democracy, and on May 6 the group delivered a report to the president outlining its recommendations.

Following is a transcript of Bush's remarks after his meeting with the Commission:

(begin transcript)

Remarks by the President After Meeting with the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba

The Roosevelt Room
11:20 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Secretary, thank you for the report you've just given me. I've received a Commission for the Assistance of a Free Cuba; it's a report from a commission that I have put together in my administration to hasten the day that Cuba will be a free country.

We believe the people of Cuba should be free from tyranny. We believe the future of Cuba is a future of freedom. It's in our nation's interest that Cuba be free. It's in the neighborhood's interest that Cuba be free. More importantly, it's in the interest of the Cuban people that they be free from tyranny.

This strategy is a strategy that encourages the spending of money to help organizations to protect dissidents and to promote human rights. It is a strategy that encourages a clear voice of the truth being spoken to the Cuban people through Radio and TV Marti. It is a strategy that will prevent the regime [of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro] from exploiting hard currency of tourists and of remittances to Cubans to prop up their repressive regime. It is a strategy that says we're not waiting for the day of Cuban freedom; we are working for the day of freedom in Cuba.

The commissioners did good work. I appreciate it, Mr. Secretary. Thank you for coming.

(end transcript)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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