Saturday, February 26, 2011

Obama restates ban on sailing to Cuba

Obama restates ban on sailing to Cuba

The move aims to discourage anti-Castro protesters and dauntless
boatsmen looking for forbidden thrills

American yachtsmen thinking of sailing southward from Key Str West
should think again.

A notice from President Obama reminds adventurous seafarers that "on
March 1, 1996 [...] a national emergency was declared to address the
disturbance, or threatened disturbance of international relations caused
by the Feb. 24, 1996 destruction by the Cuban government of two unarmed
U.S.-registered civilian aircraft in international airspace north of Cuba."

Because "the Cuban government has not demonstrated that it will refrain
from the use of excessive force against U.S. vessels [...] that may
engage in memorial activities or peaceful protest north of Cuba [...]
the unauthorized entry of any U.S.-registered vessel into Cuban
territorial waters continues to be detrimental to the foreign policy of
the United States.

"Therefore," Obama says, "I am continuing the national emergency with
respect to Cuba and the emergency authority relating to the regulation
of the anchorage and movement of vessels."

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/cuban_colada/2011/02/obama-restates-ban-on-sailing-to-cuba.html

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