Shun Cuba or else, U.S. tells allies

A delegation of American diplomats in Brussels told members of the European Community on Tuesday that the United States will give a 45-day grace period before canceling the visas of foreign executives who ``traffic'' in property that was confiscated under the Cuban Revolution.

The action is the first indication that the administration is moving quickly to enforce the Helms-Burton Law, which seeks to curb foreign investment in Cuba by penalizing companies doing business there.

The U.S. diplomats plan to deliver their message next in Rome, London and Madrid, officials said.

The legislation, which was championed by Cuban-American lawmakers and exile leaders, has stirred an outcry in Europe, Latin America and Canada, where leaders accuse the United States of trying to force them to abide by its 34-year trade ban against Cuba.

President Clinton, who had expressed reservations about the bill, swiftly signed it into law in the wake of the Feb. 24 downing of two civilian U.S. aircraft by Cuban fighter planes. The president's reluctant embrace of the bill -- which also transfers much of Cuba policymaking authority to Congress -- left many wondering whether his administration would enforce it with vigor.
Christopher hints at balance

Secretary of State Warren Christopher, in Mexico for bilateral talks, seemed eager to soothe his hosts on Tuesday and suggested the administration will strike a balance in the enforcement guidelines, which are expected to be publicized in about a month.

``I would say that the United States is trying to fashion the regulations for Helms-Burton having in mind maximizing the pressure on the Cuban government to change . . . and [minimizing] the effect on friendly countries and businesses in friendly countries,'' Christopher said.

U.S. officials involved in plans to implement the bill said the administration is prepared to face the wrath of some of its closest allies and the possibility of legal challenges against the bill, which was overwhelmingly approved by Congress. ``We are mindful of their concerns,'' said State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns. ``But they ought to be mindful of our concerns. They don't live 90 miles from Cuba; we do. They don't have the threat and the problem of Cuba's authoritarianism and the problems that poses for our population . . . They ought to understand some of [our concerns] as well.'' After alerting foreign governments, the next step will be to complete a list of foreigners who profit from confiscated properties that are claimed by U.S. citizens, including naturalized Cuban exiles, officials said.
U.S. to make examples

The list will not be large, ``a handful'' of key investors, officials said. The U.S. strategy is to make examples of several high-profile companies doing business in Cuba, including such firms as Sherritt, a Canadian mining company; Cemex, a Mexican cement conglomerate; and Grupo Domos, the Mexican firm that has contracted to overhaul Cuba's phone system.

Executives from those firms and others involved in more than 200 joint ventures with the Cuban government can expect warning letters in the next two weeks, U.S. officials said. About three weeks later, they can expect formal notification that they are ``trafficking'' in stolen U.S. property and have 45 days to divest, protest or explain. The Helms-Burton Law, named for its Republican authors, Sen. Jesse Helms of North Carolina and Rep. Dan Burton of Indiana, requires the United States to deny visas to corporate chiefs, controlling shareholders and their spouses and children. The secretary of state may waive the visa ban on a case-by-case basis. U.S. officials say they lack sufficient staff to research all potential violators of the law, so they plan to focus on chief executives. The State Department plans to assign two employees to monitor compliance.

The Helms-Burton Law also authorizes U.S. citizens claiming property in Cuba to sue foreign traffickers in federal court. But that provision would not take effect until Nov. 1 at the earliest, and may be delayed at the president's discretion. Foreign diplomats have warned that they might retaliate against what they say is the extraterritorial reach of the Helms-Burton Law. Canada and Mexico have begun consultations under the North American Free Trade Agreement. The European Community is following a similar path through the World Trade Organization.

Britain has proved one of the most outspoken critics. Ian Taylor, Britain's minister for trade and industry, said his country is ``reviewing a range of . . . countermeasures,'' including the possibility of denying visas to U.S. executives.