Follow the Pope's visit day-by-day:   Day 1  |  Day 2  |  Day 3  |  Day 4  |  Day 5

Icons at the Crossroads  |  Cuba and Catholicism  |  An Exile Returns
Testing the Embargo  |  Live Webcasts  |  The Struggling Revolution  |  Related links

THE FUTURE For six years in a row, the U.N. General Assembly has considered a resolution calling for an end to the embargo. Last November a record 143 countries voted for the Cuban-sponsored resolution. Only three -- the United States, Israel and Uzbekistan -- voted against. Now, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators wants to end restrictions on the sale of food and medicine to the island. They include Sens. Christopher Dodd, D-Connecticut, John Warner, R-Virginia, Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, Robert Bennett, R-Utah, Jeff Bingaman, D-New Mexico, Rod Grams, R-Minnesota and Jim Jeffords, R-Vermont. And U.S. business interests are urging the president to begin easing the embargo. "The pope's pastoral visit to Cuba is an historic event that lays the groundwork for new opportunities in promoting human rights, education, political and economic reform," said Frank Kittredge, President of the National Foreign Trade Council and Vice Chairman of the business group USA*ENGAGE. "It is time for us to put 'cold-war' policies behind us and begin to actively influence and promote change in Cuba through constructive engagement." The Clinton Administration insists it has "repeatedly made clear that the U.S. would be prepared to respond if the Cuban government undertakes fundamental change."

HISTORY FOR THE EMBARGO AGAINST THE EMBARGO EFFECT OF THE SANCTIONS THE FUTURE

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Related sites:

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• U.S. State Department: U.S.-Cuba policy
• U.S. Treasury Department: Overview of the U.S. embargo
• U.S. Government fact sheet on the Pope's trip to Cuba

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