In normalization talks, U.S. gives, Cuba takes

In normalization talks, U.S. gives, Cuba takes
BY JOE CARDONA
jccigar@aol.com

Ever since President Obama began charting a new policy track toward
Cuba, I have followed the negotiations carefully and have remained
cautiously optimistic. Until now.

As we pass the half-year threshold of his decision, sadly, all I see so
far are several important concessions on the American side of the ledger
and not a single significant, conciliatory gesture on the part of the
Cuban government.

I recently shared a café with Orlando Gutierrez Boronat, who heads the
Cuban National Directorate. He affirmed that he is "not surprised in the
slightest" that the Cubans have been unyielding. "What would truly have
been surprising is if they had budged on human rights or democratization
issues."

Gutierrez Boronat further explained that many (including me) assumed
that the Cuban government would be negotiating from a vulnerable
position — given the somber economic state to which Obama responded.
"The Castros have never preoccupied themselves with their country's
economic well-being. Their primary obsession has always been to maintain
power. The Cuban government," Gutierrez Boronat continued, "is
negotiating, at least in their minds, from a position of strength. They
perceive the Obama olive branch as a sign of weakness — a loss of
American political and ideological resolve and will."

Perhaps that assessment of the Cuban government's mindset is the reason
why Cuba's contribution in the diplomatic talks has been so paltry and
uninspiring. The last couple of weeks have been a public-relations
nightmare for Raúl Castro and his monolithic regime and their quest for
the normalization of relations with the United States.

While the United States scratched Cuba from its terrorist list, Cuba
summarily shut down a Ladies in White protest; detained, harassed and
censored Tania Bruguera, a Cuban installation and performance artist,
along with several members of opposition groups throughout the island;
and apparently made underwhelming impressions on a couple of groups of
Florida attorneys and investors who were in Cuba on fact-finding missions.

One of the investors was Miami Dolphins' owner Stephen Ross, who put the
kibosh on the Cuban government's best laid plans by stating on CNBC
that, "You need a government that really wants change, that really wants
business and really wants to see growth, and (in Cuba) you don't really
have any of that feeling at all."

This week I spoke with several attorneys from a group of Florida Bar
members who went to the island to learn more about Cuba's business
environment. Gauging from most of their reactions, the presentations
made by the Cubans were less than convincing. "Cuba is a long way away,"
Miami attorney Jim Meyer expressed. "I could not advise a client to
invest in Cuba because the issue of rule of law is imperative in
offering a potential investor stability and confidence — right now
Cuba's legal system is nowhere near where it needs to be."

Another Miami attorney who went on the trip, Barbara Alonso, was not
willing to give the green light for investors quite yet, though she
explained that, "for those who have a higher tolerance for risk, Cuba
may offer some opportunities." Alonso also shared her perception of the
upbeat spirit among the Cubans she spoke to in Havana. "There are more
signs of entrepreneurism, and that was good to see."

While the subjects of entrepreneurial enterprise and private property
were bandied about in Havana, I couldn't help wonder what the Cuban
government intends to do with the properties they expropriated
(euphemism for "stole") from families like mine. "I suspect not much for
now," legal consultant Nicolas Gutierrez shared with me. "But that issue
will soon come up. Generally, most, if not all, confiscated owners have
been recognized by the new governments in every single formerly
communist Central/Eastern European country and Nicaragua."

Regrettably, up to this point, the conversations between the United
States and Cuba have been remarkably one-sided. I will continue to
monitor their progress, but not as optimistically as I once did.

Source: In normalization talks, U.S. gives, Cuba takes | Miami Herald
Miami Herald - http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article23693629.html