The promotion of democracy abroad is one
of the primary foreign policy objectives of my Administration. These efforts
reflect our ideals and reinforce our interests -- preserving America's
security and enhancing our prosperity. Democracies are less likely to
go to war with one another or to abuse the rights of their peoples.
They make for better trading partners. And each one is a potential ally in
the struggle against the forces of hatred and intolerance, whether rogue
nations, those who foment ethnic and religious hatred, or terrorists who
traffic in weapons of mass destruction.
Today, freedom's reach is
broader than ever. For the first time in history, two thirds of all
nations have governments elected by their own people. As newly
democratic nations have left the dark years of authoritarian government
behind, millions of their citizens around the world have begun to experience
the political and economic freedoms that they were so long and so wrongfully
denied.
Creating open societies and
democratic institutions and building free markets are major tasks that call
for courage and commitment. To face these challenges, many
democratizing and newly democratic governments have turned to developed
democratic nations and international institutions for assistance and
support. The United States has been at the forefront of these efforts,
lending help in numerous areas in which we have long experience -- for
example, building democratic institutions and the institutions of a market
economy, and protecting human rights through an effective and impartial
justice system.
Cubans, like the other peoples
of this hemisphere, of Eastern Europe, and of the former Soviet Union,
desire to be free. The United States is committed to help the Cuban
people in a transition to democracy. We will continue working with
others in the international community who share our desire to welcome Cuba
into the ranks of prosperous democratic nations, where it will proudly join
the other thirty-four countries in this hemisphere.
This document outlines the
assistance that a democratizing Cuba is likely to seek during its
transition, and the ways in which the United States and the international
community will try to help. It draws from the experiences of other
countries that have embarked upon similar transitions and highlights some of
the lessons learned from those processes. It is my sincere hope that
it will contribute to a better understanding of the international
community's potential role in a transition to democracy and underscore the
strong commitment of the American people to support the Cuban people when
they embark upon that process of change.