U.S. may ease Cuba travel ban for pope

By STEVEN LEE MYERS
New York Times Service

WASHINGTON -- Weighing its aversion to Fidel Castro against its regard for Pope John Paul II, the Clinton administration is strongly considering easing restrictions on travel by Americans to Cuba during the pope's scheduled visit there in January, officials said Monday.

The administration also wants to allow Catholic churches and charities to ship supplies and equipment to help Catholic officials in Cuba organize the visit, now scheduled to last five days, starting Jan. 21.

While measures being considered would mark a significant relaxation of the restrictions against Cuba, the officials insisted that the administration was in no way proposing a more general lifting of the economic embargo, which the United States has tightened in recent years.

``The secretary of state views the pope's visit as an important development in bringing to the Cuban people a message of hope and faith and the importance of respecting human rights,'' James Rubin, a spokesman for Madeleine Albright, said Monday. ``And therefore, out of respect for His Holiness, we are facilitating travel and the delivery of certain goods for the purpose of that trip.''

The officials could not yet say exactly how many people would be allowed to go or whether Cuba would accept them. But they said the administration was prepared to grant special licenses to large groups, which would be organized through the church.

Although no final decisions have been made, the administration has been quietly reviewing the matter for months, working in consultation with the U.S. Catholic Conference in Washington and archdioceses around the country.

A ship from Miami

The archdiocese of Miami has requested permission to dispatch a cruise ship to carry more than 1,000 people to Cuba for the visit, according to other administration officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Peter Coats, a special assistant to the Rev. Thomas Wenski, auxiliary bishop of Miami and director of Catholic Charities there, welcomed the administration's consideration, noting that the pope's visit would have major reverberations for Catholics in the United States and Cuba.

``This is going to be a historic visit,'' he said. ``The interest is going to be very high, not just in the Cuban-American community, but in the community at large.''

Sensitive issue

Reflecting the political sensitivities of anything to do with Cuba, administration officials have also discussed the easing of the restrictions with members of Congress prominently involved in policy toward Cuba.

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami, expressed some reservations. While she supported the pope and his message, she said she opposed allowing pilgrims from the United States to travel there for the visit.

``This is an end run on the embargo,'' she said, suggesting that any easing would lead to further attempts, despite the administration's insistence otherwise. ``If you want to listen to the pope, buy his tapes or visit him somewhere else.''

Copyright © 1997 The Miami Herald