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This report made by the Center for Democracy in the Americas,  offers U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuba’s President Raúl Castro a roadmap for negotiations on key national interest issues and a chance to capitalize on the forward momentum coming out of the Summit of the
Americas.

“To overcome mistrust between Cuba and the United States, to create a ‘new beginning,’ Presidents Obama and Castro can authorize cooperation in areas such as security and law enforcement, hurricane preparedness, migration, and energy development that would provide real benefits to the Cuban and American people and help our diplomats build confidence and trust,” said the co-editor of the “9 Ways Report.”

The report is available for download here : http://democracyinamericas.org/9-ways-us-talk-cuba-and-cuba-talk-us-new-report

“If we could cooperate with Cuba to fight drugs and human smuggling, if our businesses could trade with Cuba and help develop its energy resources, if we could work together to protect the environment of the Caribbean and share lessons about hurricane preparedness, our people would be better off and our diplomats could develop the trust they need to bring our countries together,” Stephens said.

The report contains recommendations on national security, law enforcement, and migration issues that include.

- Increasing dialogue between the Cuban armed forces and the U.S.
Southern Command;

- Working out protocols for greater intelligence sharing to fight narco-trafficking;

- Allowing Cuban participation in military exercises for the defense of the Panama Canal;

- Facilitating contacts between agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Marshals Service, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement and their Cuban counterparts; and,

- Starting a dialogue with Cuba on port security in anticipation of increased trade.

To promote cooperation on medical research and academic exchange, the report advocates.

- Removing Cuba from the ‘State Sponsors of Terrorism’ list to allow exchanges of professionals in health care and research;

- Lifting restrictions on educational trips to facilitate medical education;

- Suspending trade restrictions on medicine and medical equipment sales; and,

- Including Cuba in the Fulbright Program, the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Program, and the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program.

To facilitate cooperation with Cuba in commerce and energy development actions could include.

- Using the president’s executive authority to liberalize trade and financial transactions;

- Lifting travel restrictions for all Americans;

- Opening U.S. participation in Cuba’s oil and natural gas development and enabling U.S. firms to help Cuba improve environmental practices in off-shore energy exploration; and,

- Lifting sanctions against future ethanol imports from Cuba to the U.S.

To improve our knowledge about extreme weather conditions in the Gulf of Mexico and Cuba’s civil defense program, the report suggests.

- Allowing Cuban scientists and emergency managers to visit the U.S. and share information on evacuation plans, post-disaster medical support, and citizen disaster preparedness education programs; and,

- Permitting U.S. scientists and emergency managers to visit Cuba and observe storm evacuations in real time.

To change the tone of U.S.-Cuba relations, the report’s recommendations include.

- Shutting down TV Marti; and,

- Shutting down Radio Marti or transferring its management to the Voice of America in Washington.

The report was produced by The Center for Democracy in the Americas (CDA) and its Freedom to Travel campaign. Since 2001, the Freedom to Travel campaign has taken bi-partisan delegations to Cuba that included 5 U.S. Senators, 28 Members of Congress, and 30 professional staff.

Source: PR-inside.com

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