U.S. Rejects Cuban Compensation Plan

By George Gedda, Associated Press Writer

Friday, November 30, 2001; 12:30 AM WASHINGTON –– The Bush administration has turned down a Cuban offer to compensate Americans whose properties were confiscated 40 years ago if the United States agreed to lift its embargo and make other concessions, a State Department official said Thursday.Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque reaffirmed the long-standing Cuban proposal while at the United Nations this week, saying the embargo prevented U.S. citizens from receiving proper compensation."Cuba recognizes their rights, and would be willing to reach an agreement that also takes into account the extremely heavy economic and human damages and losses inflicted on our country by the blockade," he said.State Department spokesman Richard Boucher restated American support for the embargo."The president said he would oppose any effort to weaken sanctions against the Cuban government until it respects Cubans' basic human rights and civil rights, frees political prisoners and holds free and democratic elections with international observers," Boucher said.Two years ago, a Cuban court demanded payment of $181 billion in compensation for the damages.The United States maintains that the principle of compensation for expropriated properties is embedded in international law.It rejects any linkage between the compensation issue and the embargo. The U.S. government has certified 5,911 property claims by U.S. citizens against the Cuban government. It does not accept Cuba's demand for damages resulting from the embargo.On an unrelated subject, Cuba announced Thursday that the next round of migration talks with the United States will be held Monday in Havana.The Cuban delegation is likely to renew complaints about an American law that it says claimed the lives of Cuban would-be immigrants who apparently drowned recently while en route the United States.The 1966 law allows undocumented Cubans who reach American soil to avoid repatriation and eventually apply for legal residency.President Fidel Castro said 30 Cubans drowned in the recent incident. U.S. officials said the number is not known because there is no passenger list.The U.S. delegation will be headed by James Carragher, the State Department coordinator for Cuban affairs. He is expected to register complaints about what the administration sees as unwarranted delays by Cuba in approving exit visas for Cubans eligible to immigrate to the United States.

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