SECTION: News; Pg. 7A

LENGTH: 545 words

HEADLINE: Embargo on Cuba debated

BYLINE: MONI BASU

SOURCE: AJC

BODY:
The trade embargo on Cuba is costing Georgia more than $100 million a year and "that's not peanuts," the head of a Cuba policy group said Friday.

"I'm no Che Guevara," said Sally Grooms Cowal, head of the Cuba Policy Foundation, referring to the Latin American revolutionary who was a hero to Cuban Communists. "But I believe there are better ways to bring about democracy in Cuba than the embargo." Cowal made her comments during a debate on Cuba policy arranged by the Carter Center.

Dennis Hays, executive president of the Cuban American National Foundation, countered Cowal's economic claims by saying that the embargo has helped the United States financially. He said American taxpayers have been saved by the embargo because Cuba has failed to repay millions of dollars in debts to other countries.

"As far as looking Georgia farmers in the eye, well I do do that," Hays said. "But I'm fairly confident that they don't just want to sell a product --- they want to be paid for it."

Cowal said the United States stands to lose up to $3.6 billion annually in agriculture-related costs to the economy. She said Georgia is among the top 20 states bearing the economic burden and that the embargo affects the incomes of 336,000 farm-based families in the state.

Quoting a study released earlier this year by Texas A&M University, Cowal said Georgia sacrifices $29 million a year in agricultural exports because farmers are barred from doing business with Cuba. The state loses an additional $95 million in related economic output. If the embargo were lifted, Georgia farmers would feel a difference in two to three years, the study predicted.

"That's real pain felt by real people," said Cowal, a 23-year Foreign Service veteran who served as ambassador to Trinidad & Tobago.

She called on the United States to end "40 years of failure" and encouraged Americans to visit the island nation.

Former President Jimmy Carter, head of the Carter Center, has been invited to Havana by Cuban leader Fidel Castro. He is considering a visit in the near future.

But Hays said the United States would be morally wrong to engage with a government that violates basic human rights. He advised against travel to Cuba and argued for a continuance of the embargo.

"Freedom is not that contagious," he said. "Sending people to Havana on spring break won't bring down a totalitarian regime."

America's embargo on Cuba includes economic sanctions and restrictions on travel to Cuba, severely limiting commercial, political and civilian relations between the two nations.

Proponents argue the embargo will promote human rights and democracy in Cuba, ruled by Castro since he seized power in 1959. Opponents say the 40 years of isolation have not brought Havana any closer to change and that engagement is necessary to encourage reform.

A bipartisan group of House members agreed with those opponents Thursday and created a congressional bloc whose aim is to loosen the embargo.

The group's actions signaled a possible showdown with the Bush administration over Cuba policy later this year.

"We all agree that the current policy has failed," said Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), an ardent free-trade proponent who is a leader of the bloc.

LOAD-DATE: March 23, 2002