Cuba says it proposed talks on jailed American, no U.S. response

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Cuba says it proposed talks on jailed American, no U.S. response

By Jeff Franks
HAVANA | Mon Sep 17, 2012 7:28pm EDT

(Reuters) - Cuba has proposed talks with the United States about resolving the case of jailed American contractor Alan Gross, but has received no response, indicating a lack of interest by Washington, a top Cuban diplomat said on Monday.

Foreign Ministry official Josefina Vidal said at a press conference that Cuba had proposed discussions "as a first step for the development of a process ... toward finding a solution to the case of Mr. Alan Gross."

Gross, 63, has been jailed since December 2009 and is serving a 15-year sentence for illegally setting up Internet networks in Cuba under a U.S. program that promotes political change on the communist island.

The Cuban government views the program as subversive.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/17/us-cuba-contractor-idUSBRE88G1HK20120917

[bemildred]

1. Our Cuba policy is delusional.

There is really nothing that needs to be added to that to explain this story. The last thing we want to do is work things out, to work anything out, with the Cuban government.

[CharlesSpencerKing]

2. New Anti Embargo screenplay Fidel's Story (Including Gross)

SYNOPSIS

This low budget production is in two 45 minute acts with three scenes per act. Sets are: Harpo green room; A stage set for an infomercial (multimedia backdrop optional) overlapped with a two chair interview set with cameras.

Fidel Castro has agreed to do an interview in Chicago at Harpo Studios with Oprah conducting the first part (act one) and Christiane Amanpour conducting the second part (act two). Fidel has three conditions for the interview 1) That he be given up to five minutes to answer each question uninterrupted with no follow up. 2) That every third question be asked from the live audience. 3) That the first five minutes of each of the two segments be a presenter sharing facts on Cuba. Initially the networks balk at this as it seems a commercial promotion for Cuba, yet when Fidel agrees to allow the networks to verify the facts presented, the networks agree.

Fidel's goal is to share Cuba's perspective of historical events in the hope that the American people will flex their muscle and change a misguided and largely ineffective policy. Cuba policy has been framed by right wing expatriate Cubans who fled Cuba with the dictator Batista, they champion pro embargo and travel restrictions to Cuba. However, with the Internet we Americans are learning that the International observer's opinions of US - Cuba history are quite different than the tall tale we have been fed. Fidel's goal is to move US opinion from the exclusionary current position to a more centrist International view through this interview.

This is a hot topic full of controversy and the screenplay reflects this with many interruptions from the rabid right. The questions are hard hitting and pointed, and Fidel patiently and politely answers them all. The English version is complete, and the Spanish version will follow. The two productions have different audiences, one in the US/ Canada and the other Latin American capitals.

FULL SCREENPLAY HERE:
http://www.juntoboxfilms.com/projects/fidel-s-story-a-screenplay-for-theater-film#.UHhfMsXA_0c