Reuters
By Jeff Franks – Mon Mar 28, 5:37 pm ET
HAVANA (Reuters) – Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter met with Cuban
Jews on Monday at the start of a private three-day visit to the island,
but he did not discuss with them a U.S. aid contractor jailed for
allegedly providing illegal Internet access to Jewish groups.
Local Jewish leader Adela Dworin told reporters Carter did not talk
about contractor Alan Gross or any political topics during a stop at
Cuba's main Jewish headquarters, located in Havana's Vedado district.
"That was not talked about," she said when reporters asked about Gross.
"In reality, we did not talk about anything political."
She said Carter asked about religious freedom and was told "that we
openly practice our religion."
Carter, 86, was kept well away from the press, but he shouted that he
would speak at a press conference on Wednesday. He later met with Cuban
Catholic leader Cardinal Jaime Ortega.
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Gross, 61, was given a 15-year prison sentence this month after a Cuban
court convicted him of providing illegal Internet access to Cuban
groups, including the communist island's small Jewish community.
His case has worsened relations between Cold War enemies Cuba and the
United States, at odds since a 1959 revolution toppled a U.S.-backed
dictator and put Fidel Castro in power.
Relations had warmed slightly under U.S. President Barack Obama before
Gross's arrest in December 2009, but the United States said there will
be no more progress until Gross is free.
Carter, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, may try to lay the
groundwork for Gross' release during his visit, but Cuban officials
reportedly have told him not to expect to take the American home when he
leaves on Wednesday.
The former president and his wife Rosalynn were invited by Cuba's
government, which gave them a low-key welcome on Monday at Havana's Jose
Marti International Airport.
SECOND CUBA VISIT
Carter made a previous visit to Cuba in 2002 and remains the only U.S.
president, sitting or former, to go to the island since the revolution.
At that time, Fidel Castro was president. Now 84, Castro stepped down
three years ago and was succeeded by younger brother Raul, 79.
Carter was to meet with Raul Castro on Tuesday.
The Carter Center in Atlanta said this trip was a "private,
nongovernmental mission" for Carter to learn about Cuba's new economic
policies and discuss ways to improve U.S.-Cuba ties.
Since leaving office after his 1977-1981 term, Carter has occasionally
served as an unofficial diplomatic trouble-shooter , including a mission
last August to North Korea to secure the release of an American
imprisoned there.
Gross was working under a U.S. program promoting political change on the
island. Cuba says the program is subversive.
The U.S. government has said Gross was in Cuba only to provide Internet
access to Jewish groups and committed no crime.
Many think Cuba may be open to freeing Gross soon, partly due to
humanitarian concerns. Gross's 26-year-old daughter and 88-year-old
mother are both suffering from cancer.
During his one term in office, Carter took the most significant steps
yet to improve U.S.-Cuba relations.
In his 2002 visit, he urged Washington to end its long trade embargo
against Cuba. He also called for democracy and better human rights in
Cuba and boosted dissidents by publicly mentioning their movement.
The Castros complain regularly that Obama has done little to help
relations, despite his stated desire to seek a "new beginning" with Cuba.
Obama has eased U.S. travel restrictions to Cuba, allowed a free flow of
remittances to the cash-strapped island and initiated new talks on
migration and postal service issues.
Cuba has released most of its political prisoners and is modernizing its
economy, but Obama has said it must do more if it wants better relations.
(Additional reporting by Nelson Acosta and Marc Frank; Editing by Pascal
Fletcher and Deborah Charles)
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