February 29, 1996
Web posted at: 9 p.m. EST
From Correspondents Wolf Blitzer and Lucia Newman
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Clinton has ordered the U.S. Coast Guard to accompany and monitor Saturday's planned Brothers to the Rescue memorial flyover and flotilla service in international waters off the coast of Cuba.
The president has also as ordered the seizure of any vessels that enter Cuban territory. Cuba's government has said it won't attack the flotilla as long as it stays out of territorial waters.
Brothers to the Rescue, an exile group that has rescued Cuban refugees from the waters off Cuba and has dropped leaflets over the country criticizing Fidel Castro's communist government, will lead the demonstration and memorial at the site over the waters north of Havana where Cuban MiG's shot down two of the group's unarmed planes February 24. Four pilots were killed.
Cuba claims the planes violated the country's airspace and were part of a series of provocations by Cuban exiles in league with the U.S. government.
The United States said the aircraft were outside Cuban airspace when they were shot down and has responded by denouncing Cuba and preparing new sanctions.
Administration officials say the Coast Guard has been designated by the White House as the "lead agency" in dealing with Saturday's event.
"We believe that efforts to honor the lives of the victims of this brutality deserve the support of all Americans and we strongly support out laws to prevent (intrusion) into Cuban airspace and territorial waters," White House press secretary Mike McCurry said.
Plans include using U.S. Coast Guard unarmed HU-25 Falcon Jets and C-130 planes, as well as patrol boats and armed cutters, to track the Brothers to the Rescue service. In addition, Clinton has approved contingency plans to have the U.S. Navy and Air Force stand by as backup.
The Coast Guard also announced strict new limits preventing small boats from going more than 3 miles off the southern Florida coast without permission.
Officials said the Coast Guard will not escort the demonstrators, would which entail "leading the parade," but will instead monitor the activities from the sidelines.
The Coast Guard was chosen, in part, because it is part of the Department of Transportation rather than the Department of Defense, and is therefore less provocative to the Cuban government than the U.S. Navy or Air Force.
The Clinton administration will formally notify the Cuban government through the U.S. Interest Section in Havana that the flotilla will be peaceful and will remain in international waters, and will tell Cuba not to interfere with it.
In Havana, foreign ministry spokesman Carlos Fernandez declined immediate comment on the monitoring plan. "I would prefer to look at the exact wording of the statement," he said. "We'll have a proper response later today."
But Fernandez said the protest will become a "provocation" if it passes south of the 24th parallel. "Cuba and the exercise of sovereignty will take whatever measures it needs to prevent provocation and violation in its territorial waters, airspace, or land. That's what Cuba's prepared to do on Saturday or any day of the year."
Under international law, territorial airspace and waters end 12 miles (20 kilometers) from land. But nations can declare air defense zones and warn aircraft of danger beyond them. Cuba has legally declared the 24th parallel, which ranges from 40 to 60 miles (up to 100 kilometers) north of its jagged northern coast, as its air defense zone.
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