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Cuban dissidents welcome U.S. easing of restrictionsHavana, Sep 4, 2009 (EFE via COMTEX) -- (changes dateline, updates throughout) ).- Catholic Church leaders and dissidents in Cuba expressed support for the U.S. government's easing of a decades-old embargo on the Caribbean island, but state-run media here have not yet published news of the change in Washington's regulations. The president of the Cuban Catholic Bishops' Conference, Dionisio Garcia, told Efe that the move by President Barack Obama's government - announced in April and implemented Thursday - was a "measure expected by all and also necessary." "It should have happened a long time ago. It's going to improve relations among families, promoting a spirit of understanding and reconciliation. It's a step that's been made, but other steps are needed to facilitate communication between the two sides even more," he added. Garcia said "the number of visitors (from the United States) has increased in recent months," but the end to restrictions on Cuban-Americans' ability to travel and send remittances to the island had not gone into effect until now. On Thursday, the U.S. Treasury Department issued new rules that ease the 47-year-old embargo on Cuba, undoing restrictions on travel and money transfers to the communist-ruled island by Cuban-Americans. Under the new regulations, Americans with "close family members" on the island - which now include aunts, uncles and first and second cousins - can visit Cuba as many times as they want and remain as long as they choose. They will be able to spend a maximum of $179 a day and also carry $3,000 with them to give to their family members. Close to 1.5 million Americans have relatives in Cuba. Cuban-Americans also will be able to send money transfers to those same "close relatives," without restrictions on their amount or frequency, although those remittances cannot be sent to members of the government or the Communist Party. Dissident Manuel Cuesta Morua, of the dissident group Arco Progresista, told Efe that the U.S. government's move is a "positive" step that will facilitate family contacts and responds to the demands of Cuban society, while serving as a "platform to advance (bilateral) dialogue." "Also important is that this will facilitate shipments of humanitarian aid for a country such as Cuba, which is in a situation of economic collapse," he added, referring to serious shortfalls in government coffers due to a plunge in the price of nickel, the country's No. 1 export, and three hurricanes last year that caused billions of dollars in damages. To facilitate the newly authorized transactions, the Treasury Department has authorized U.S. banks to sign agreements with Cuban financial institutions. U.S. residents can also now pay the cost of telecommunications service provided to a resident of Cuba by a U.S. or third-country company. The new rules also allow U.S. firms to directly enter into telecommunications service contracts with Cubans. To improve telecommunications links between the United States and Cuba, the Treasury Department authorized the export of technology, such as satellite installations and fiber-optic cables. The Treasury rules also allow Americans involved in setting up these telecommunications links, as well as people engaged in exporting food and medicine to Cuba, to travel to the island. The rules published Thursday made effective and fleshed out an April 13 announcement by Obama concerning a relaxation of economic sanctions on Cuba. The Obama administration also has resumed talks on immigration with Cuban authorities that had been suspended during the Bush government, but has ruled out lifting restrictions on trade until Cuba embarks on a process of democratization. Cuba's state media, which enjoy a legally enforced monopoly, have not yet reported the Treasury Department announcement, although it did appear on the official Web site Cubadebate.com, to which few citizens have access due to limitations on Internet access. In a speech before Parliament last month, Cuban president Gen. Raul Castro said the measures the Obama administration announced to ease the embargo were insufficient. He said Cuban officials were open to discuss all issues with Washington but that the island would not compromise its communist values. His older brother and predecessor, Fidel Castro, said in April that Obama's decision to lift travel and money-transfer restrictions imposed by George W. Bush was "positive" but "minimal" and called for an end to "many more." EFE arj-cma/mc |