Two sides at odds on Cuba policy changes

WASHINGTON, March 11 (UPI) -- The U.S. treasury secretary pledged changes made to the U.S.-Cuba policy won't have any bite even as a human rights organization hailed the move.

Secretary Tim Geithner assured two Democrats the government would interpret the provision -- which would ease travel and trade restrictions to Cuba by halting funding for their enforcement -- so strictly that it would be toothless, The Miami Herald reported Wednesday. The pledge was given to induce two senators to vote for the $410 billion omnibus spending bill.

The bill, which awaits Obama's signature, contains a provision that would create a general travel license for Americans who want to travel to Cuba to broker agricultural and medical sales agreements with the Cuban government.

Left intact is a provision that would suspend enforcement of rules that say Cuban Americans can only visit immediate relatives once every three years.

Geithner said the agricultural travel license would be limited to "only a narrow class of businesses," which would have to report back on their trips. He also said the U.S.-Cuba policy is under review to determine "the best way to foster democratic change in Cuba and improve the lives of the Cuban people," the Herald said.

Human Rights Watch in a news release Wednesday said Congress took a positive stem toward dismantling travel restrictions that forced separation of Cuban families.

"Cutting off funding for these cruel restrictions is a step in the right direction," said Jose Miguel Vivanco, HRW's Americas director. "President Obama should follow up by issuing an executive order to eliminate all restrictions on travel and remittances for Cuban-Americans."