Friday, May 10, 2002
CONTACT: Barry E. Piatt
or Brenden Timpe
PHONE: 202-224-2551
DORGAN SAYS POWELL’S LETTER FAILS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT VISAS DENIED FOR CUBAN GRAIN BUYERS
He’s scheduling Senate hearing to pursue the issue
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) --- U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) said Friday he has received “a response but few answers” from Secretary of State Colin Powell, after asking Powell to explain why a delegation of Cuban grain buyers who wanted to come to the United States – and North Dakota – to buy farm products were denied visas by the State Department.
“The Secretary’s response is completely unsatisfactory,” Dorgan said Friday. Powell’s letter “didn’t answer the questions I asked,” Dorgan said. The letter “also indicated the visas were denied on the basis of a 1985 proclamation issued by President Ronald Reagan, despite the fact that Congress has clearly put a new policy in place since then that allows food and medicine sales to be made to Cuba.”
“The State Department apparently thinks selling dried beans and wheat to Cuba undermines American security,” Dorgan said. “In this age of terrorism, the deep thinkers at the State department ought to spend more time worrying about how to stop terrorists from acquiring bombs, and worry a little less about Cubans acquiring beans and wheat.”
Dorgan said he is scheduling a hearing in his Commerce Trade Subcommittee for May 21 and will call Assistant Secretary of State Otto Reich to explain what’s going on. “Congress wants these sales to go forward,” Dorgan said. “I want to know why the State Department is continuing to try to block them.”
Dorgan also dismissed Powell’s specific explanation for the denial of a visa for Pedro Alvirez, the head of Cuba’s Alimport trading firm, who was to have headed the Cuban delegation that wanted to come to the United States to buy farm products. “The letter says he was barred because of what he did the last time he was here,” Dorgan said, “but as far as I can determine, even after reading Secretary Powell’s letter, what he did last time was simply say he hoped Cuba could buy more farm products from the United States. That doesn’t threaten our security.”
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