Political Quotes

“The first component of the announcement was that the United States would adopt a new policy relative to those detainees who are currently being held at the naval station at Guantanamo Bay. For some background, in the late summer and early fall of 1994, a large exodus of Cubans commenced from that island and were interdicted by United States Coast Guard and some military vessels. The decision was made by the U.S. Government at that time to establish a safe haven at Guantanamo Naval Station, to which in excess of 30,000 persons who had been interdicted at sea were subsequently taken. In September 1994, the United States Government, as part of what has been a continuing negotiation with the Cuban Government, held negotiations on the specific and limited and singular topic of immigration. As a result of that, an agreement was reached. Parts of that agreement provided that the United States would provide no less than 20,000 visas per year for Cubans wishing to come legally to the United States, and would do so through a process administered by the United States interest section in Havana.”