Export rules may get tighter (for Cuba purchases of US ag products)

[Mika]

Export rules may get tighter

Since the U.S. sales to the communist nation began in 2001, Havana has paid most of the $714 million in purchases after the cargo arrived in Cuba. But Bush administration officials are reviewing the law to determine if payments must occur before the shipments leave the United States.

''We expect to issue guidance in the near future,'' said Molly Millerwise, a Treasury spokeswoman. ``We're working with our counterparts to clarify the policy for shipping agricultural goods to Cuba.''

-

Some members of Congress who oppose trade and travel restrictions on Cuba criticized the Bush administration's move to tighten the sales transactions.

''This is the most shortsighted, convoluted thing I've ever heard,'' Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo, said. ``This will have an enormous impact because obviously it can't just apply to Cuba.''

Emerson joined 14 other legislators in a bipartisan letter sent to Treasury Secretary John Snow on Nov. 22, saying any tightening of the trade rules ``would defy the will of the Congress to allow cash trade in agricultural products with Cuba.''

More--> http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/10324976.htm




Once again, hurting American biz to pander to the extremist minority in Miami!

[Mika]

1. Here's a related story from a few days ago

More lies and propaganda



U.S. Exporters to Cuba Say Cash Blocked
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=542&ncid=693&e=7&u=/ap/20041124/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_cuba

WASHINGTON - Some companies that sell food and agricultural products to Cuba are reporting that payments are not being credited to their bank accounts in the United States, according to a representative of a group that tracks business between the two countries.

John Kavulich, president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council Inc., said Tuesday that fewer than half a dozen companies have contacted his organization recently about such problems.

He said banks have confirmed receipt of payments from Cuba but have not credited the accounts of exporters on instructions from the U.S. government.

[Judi Lynn]

2. How many countries actually pay cash IN ADVANCE of shipment?

We heard a long time ago that _Bush's adminsistration had been tampering with every way possible to finally end the very limited business our Congress authoroized right after Hurricane Michelle, around 4 years ago.

You'd have to hope that Cuba anticipated this measure when they started moving to Euros, and finally withdrew use of the dollar altogether.

Maybe they have already made arrangements to create another method of trade to replace the lines American food producers were hoping were going to open further.

Another article on the subject:

Glitch affects Cuba trade 12/03/04


Glitch affects Cuba trade

By NED RANDOLPH
[e-mail]
Advocate business writer

A bureaucratic glitch in Washington, D.C., may throw a wrench into plans by several states, including Louisiana, to sell agricultural products to Cuba under a provision that allows U.S. companies to sell food and medicines to the island nation.
Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Mike Olivier is leading a delegation of six companies to Cuba on Dec. 15 to negotiate with Cuban buying agencies over Louisiana exports to Cuba. This is the first such government-sponsored trip for a Louisiana group.

Several states, including Alabama and Mississippi are also sending delegations around the same time to renew existing contracts with Cuba, which are suddenly endangered by the atmosphere on Capitol Hill.
(snip)

"That's the interpretation we've been working under the last few years," said Richard Lobb, a spokesman for the National Chicken Counci in Washington D.C. "The ship goes to Cuba and doesn't unload until it gets the word that the money is transferred to a third party bank."
However, banks are being instructed by a small office within the Treasury Department, called the Office of Foreign Assets Control, to withhold payments to the U.S. traders, unless Cuban payments are received before the shipment leaves U.S. ports, shippers say.

"Banks listen very carefully to whatever the Treasury Department says, especially now with the war on terror. They can lose their charters overnight," Papanos said.

The new interpretation by Office of Foreign Assets Control took affect in November amidst a change in leadership there, and after several banks had asked for guidance on the "cash in advance provision," OFAC spokeswoman Molly Millerwise said.

Meanwhile, shipments were literally being held on the ships or docks because U.S. banks were not releasing the payments to shippers, said Ray Brickman, Crowley Maritime Corp.'s vice-president for Cuba and Mexico.
(snip/...)

http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/120304/bus_biz001.shtml

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Too many Congresscritters have been working on relaxing the embargo and travel ban to simply stand by and watch the Imbecile try to destroy all the progress and cooperation between so many Americans and Cubans.Can't wait until someone gets serious with _Bush.

[Mika]

4. Still waiting..............................................

"Can't wait until someone gets serious with _Bush."

Who the hell will that be? :shrug: Not the dems, as they are.



:hi:

[Judi Lynn]

10. Yep, Democrats haven't been able to get too much going recently,have they?

However, you can be sure that Democrats Max Baucus, in Wyoming, and Byron Dorgan, North Dakota will ALWAYS be plugging away, no matter who's in office until we get this 44+ year old travesty retired. Republican Jeff Flake's not likely to give up on it, either, no matter how much noise Tom Delay and the Florida Cuban creeps, Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen make.

Anyone who takes the initiative to get off his keister and do a little reading, since EVERYTHING is not hand delivered to a person, already knows the story on the U.S. and Cuba. It would be very hard to imagine anyone could still be in the dark, right, Mika?

I can only imagine what a buzz the Cuban Mafia in Miami is getting from this vicious _Bush machination now. He's going to go for broke, no doubt, despite the fact that for years now, our Congress has voted to drop the travel ban, only to have his hogs remove the amendments in committee, so he is never forced to confront the public with a high-profile veto.

Another article on today's news:

Bush administration reviews Cuba trade
By UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL

Published December 3, 2004


WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration has temporarily halted the transfer of money to U.S agricultural firms selling goods to Cuba.

Congress Daily reported Friday that the move, apparently aimed at discouraging trade with the communist nation, comes amid a review of existing law to investigate whether Cuba is required to make advance payments for U.S. farm products.

Although the farming community has embraced trade with the country to the tune of $400 million a year in sales and there is strong support on Capitol Hill for examining the traditionally adversarial U.S. policy stance on Cuba, the Bush White House has taken a tough stance against the Castro regime, cracking down on travel and remittances to the country.
(snip)

http://www.wpherald.com/Latin_America/storyview.php?StoryID=20041203-045234-3126r

[Mika]

12. Two words............

Flip flop

[damntexdem]

3. This should go over well in all of those agricultural red states.

Americans never seem to learn.

[Mika]

5. Notice that it is a repug doing the protesting

From the lead article,

''This is the most shortsighted, convoluted thing I've ever heard,'' Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo, said.

Over the last four years, some the most vociferous verbiage against the US embargo on Cuba has been from repugs.

[blindpig]

8. irony is the most powerful force in the universe

15 years from now we'll be asking the Cubans how to manage an economy in a Peak Oil world.

[Sara Beverley]

6. Now if only Castro could speak Chinese he wouldn't have this problem!

Cuba is a threat to no one. We may all be speaking Chinese in the next 25 years, yet our government has no problem trading with China but we sure must stick it to those Cubans and Castro for merely existing!

[hatrack]

7. Phew! Good thing Cuba can't buy commodities anywhere else in the world!!

This'll bring them to their knees in a matter of months!! :eyes:

[BareskinMatt]

9. Dumb question...please be kind

What good has Cuba done for the USA lately to deserve any kind of special treatment from the US to Cuba?

[Mika]

14. Cuba has been getting "special treatment" from the US for 45 years.

Hello..... Normalizing relations with Cuba would be ending the "special treatment" Cuba has been getting from the US. (Not to mention the "special treatment" that has hurt US agribiz since the start of the US sanctions on one of their best historical customers - Cuba.)

[Judi Lynn]

11. Bush's commerce secretary pursued trade with Cuba as the Kellog CEO......

Under Gutierrez, Kellogg explored Cuban trade
Friday, December 3, 2004
Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- As commerce secretary, Cuban-born Carlos Gutierrez would be expected to support President Bush's policies of blocking most trade with Fidel Castro's communist government.

Yet while Gutierrez was chief executive officer of Kellogg Co., the nation's largest cereal-maker explored the possibility of doing business with Cuba, participating in a trade show in Havana in 2002.

The Treasury Department permitted U.S. companies to attend the event, but the Bush administration made its disapproval clear.

It is not known whether Kellogg pursued trade with Cuba beyond attending the 2002 fair or whether Gutierrez was involved in the company's decision to go the event. Kellogg officials did not respond to requests this week for details.

The company's participation could lead to awkward questions at Gutierrez's Senate confirmation hearing as he defends the administration's position that trade with Cuba only aids Castro's authoritarian government.
(snip/...)

http://www.mlive.com/business/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/business-2/1102092621103890.xml

[guajira]

13. New Policy hurts Cubans, and even more - American farmers

If Castro has to deposit payments in US banks before receiving farm products - what would stop B* from taking the bank payments and giving the money to Miami "exiles"?

So far the sales have been successful, with US farmers shipping to Cuba and getting cash payments from Cuba. If farmers voted for the idiot, maybe they deserve to get their sales cut off!!!

[Mika]

15. Yet another example..

.. of red states voting agin' their own interests. :shrug:


:hi: