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DATE=7/14/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-235450 TITLE=CUBA/U-S LOBBY GROUP (L-ONLY) BYLINE=BILL RODGERS DATELINE=WASHINGTON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: IN AN UNUSUAL MOVE, SOME PROMINENT CUBAN-AMERICANS IN FLORIDA HAVE FORMED A GROUP TO PRESS FOR LEGISLATION LIFTING U-S RESTRICTIONS ON THE SALE OF FOOD AND MEDICINE TO CUBA. AS V-O-A'S BILL RODGERS REPORTS, THE GROUP'S FORMATION REFLECTS A CHANGE OF THINKING AMONG SOME CUBAN AMERICANS ON HOW BEST TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY IN CUBA. TEXT: THE NEW FLORIDA GROUP IS PART OF AN EFFORT BY THE U-S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO LIFT U-S RESTRICTIONS ON THE SALE OF FOOD AND MEDICINE TO CUBA. LEGISLATION IS NOW BEFORE THE U-S HOUSE (OF REPRESENTATIVES) AND SENATE TO DO THIS, AND THE CHAMBER'S LOBBYING ARM -- AMERICANS FOR HUMANITARIAN TRADE WITH CUBA -- IS WORKING HARD TO PERSUADE LAWMAKERS TO SUPPORT THE MEASURES. THE NEW GROUP, CALLED THE FLORIDA STATE COUNCIL OF AMERICANS FOR HUMANITARIAN TRADE WITH CUBA, INCLUDES CUBAN-AMERICAN UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS, CHURCH LEADERS, PHYSICIANS, AND BUSINESS EXECUTIVES. COUNCIL HEAD ELENA FREYRE SAYS THE GROUP WILL HELP THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BY DIRECTLY LOBBYING MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. ///FREYRE ACT/// WE'RE PLANNING TO, IN EFFECT, AND I KNOW THIS HAS BECOME A DIRTY WORD IN RECENT DAYS, BUT WE'RE PLANNING TO LOBBY. THERE IS A GROUP OF CUBAN AMERICANS THAT IS PLANNING TO RETURN TO WASHINGTON TO TALK TO DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. IN THE MEANWHILE, I'M ALSO DOING THINGS LOCALLY WITH A GRASSROOTS TYPE OF MOVEMENT, GETTING MORE PEOPLE TO SUPPORT IT, GETTING PEOPLE TO WRITE TO CONGRESS, TO CALL THE WHITE HOUSE, TO EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT FOR THE BILL. ///END ACT/// MOUNTING SUCH AN EFFORT AMONG CUBAN AMERICANS IN SOUTH FLORIDA IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL. THE CUBAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, FORMED BY EXILES THAT FLED THE ISLAND'S COMMUNIST REGIME, HAS TRADITIONALLY OPPOSED ANY MOVE TO WEAKEN U-S SANCTIONS AGAINST CUBA. //OPT// AS MS. FREYRE PUT IT, THOSE WHO FAVOR A CHANGE IN U-S POLICY ARE OFTEN VIEWED AS SUPPORTERS OF CUBAN LEADER FIDEL CASTRO. ///FREYRE ACT/// UNFORTUNATELY, ESPECIALLY IN SOUTH FLORIDA, WE HAVE TIED TOGETHER THE OPPOSITION TO CASTRO TO THE EMBARGO. THERE'S AN ERRONEOUS FEELING IN THIS AREA THAT IF YOU'RE ANTI-EMBARGO YOU'RE PRO-CASTRO AND NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH ESPECIALLY WHERE MY GROUP IS CONCERNED. ///END ACT & OPT/// WHILE THE PREVAILING VIEW REMAINS STRONGLY PRO-SANCTIONS, MORE CUBAN AMERICANS ARE DISCUSSING ALTERNATIVES TO THE DECADES-LONG U-S POLICY OF TRYING TO ISOLATE CUBA'S COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT. MS. FREYRE BELIEVES THERE ARE TWO MAIN REASONS FOR THIS CHANGE. /// FREYRE ACT /// FIRST OF ALL I THINK THERE'S BEEN A GENERATIONAL CHANGE TAKING PLACE, AND AS WE'VE MATURED I THINK WE HAVE BECOME A LOT LESS MONOLITHIC. I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO APPROACH CUBA AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH THE CUBAN PEOPLE WITHOUT BENEFITTING THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT. I ALSO BELIEVE A LOT HAS TO DO WITH THE POPE'S VISIT TO CUBA. ///END ACT/// POPE JOHN PAUL VISITED CUBA IN JANUARY, A HISTORIC TRIP IN WHICH HIS APPEAL FOR THE WORLD TO OPEN UP TO CUBA AND FOR CUBA TO OPEN UP TO THE WORLD CONTINUES TO RESONATE. SUPPORTERS OF THE BILLS TO ALLOW THE SALE OF FOOD AND MEDICINES TO CUBA HOPE LAWMAKERS WILL HEED THE PAPAL MESSAGE. BUT AS EVEN MS. FREYRE ACKNOWLEDGES, THE MEASURES FACE AN UPHILL BATTLE IN CONGRESS. (SIGNED) NEB/WFR/PT 14-Jul-98 3:46 PM EDT (1946 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .