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5 pt2 Department of State Dispatch 603 (1994)
U.S.-Cuba Joint Communique on Migration

handle is hein.journals/dsptch12 and id is 211 raw text is: Cuba

U.S.-Cuba Joint Communique on Migration

Following is the text of the U.S.-Cuba
Joint Communique on migration,
New York City, September 9, 1994.
Representatives of the United States
of America and the Republic of Cuba
today concluded talks concerning their
mutual interest in normalizing migra-
tion procedures and agreed to take
measures to ensure that migration
between the two countries is safe,
legal, and orderly.
Safety of Life at Sea
The United States and the Republic of
Cuba recognize their common interest
in preventing unsafe departures from
Cuba which risk loss of human life. The
United States underscored its recent
decisions to discourage unsafe voyages.
Pursuant to those decisions, migrants
rescued at sea attempting to enter the
United States will not be permitted to
enter the United States, but instead
will be taken to safe haven facilities
outside the United States. Further,
the United States has discontinued its
practice of granting parole to all Cuban
migrants who reach U.S. territory in
irregular ways. The Republic of Cuba
will take effective measures in every
way it possibly can to prevent unsafe
departures using mainly persuasive
methods.
Alien Smuggling
The United States and the Republic of
Cuba reaffirm their support for the
recently adopted United Nations
General Assembly resolution on alien
smuggling. They pledged their
cooperation to take prompt and

effective action to prevent the trans-
port of persons to the United States
illegally. The two governments will
take effective measures in every way
they possibly can to oppose and
prevent the use of violence by any
persons seeking to reach, or who arrive
in, the United States from Cuba by
forcible diversions of aircraft and
vessels.
Legal Migration
The United States and the Republic of
Cuba are committed to directing Cuban
migration into safe, legal and orderly
channels consistent with strict imple-
mentation of the 1984 joint communi-
que. Accordingly, the United States
will continue to issue, in conformity
with United States law, immediate
relative and preference immigrant
visas to Cuban nationals who apply at
the U.S. Interests Section and are
eligible to immigrate to the United
States. The United States also com-
mits, through other provisions of
United States law, to authorize and
facilitate additional lawful migration to
the United States from Cuba. The
United States ensures that total legal
migration to the United States from
Cuba will be a minimum of 20,000
Cubans each year, not including
immediate relatives of United States
citizens. As an additional, extraordi-
nary measure, the United States will
facilitate in a one-year period the
issuance of documentation to permit
the migration to the United States of
those qualified Cuban nationals in Cuba
currently on the immigrant visa
waiting list. To that end, both parties
will work together to facilitate the
procedures necessary to implement

this measure. The two governments
agree to authorize the necessary
personnel to allow their respective
interests sections to implement the
provisions of this communique effec-
tively.
Voluntary Return
The United States and the Republic
of Cuba agreed that the voluntary
return of Cuban nationals who arrived
in the United States or in safe havens
outside the United States on or after
August 19, 1994 will continue to be
arranged through diplomatic channels.
Excludables
The United States and the Republic of
Cuba agreed to continue to discuss the
return of Cuban nationals excludable
from the United States.
Review of Agreement
The representatives of the United
States and the Republic of Cuba agree
to meet no later than 45 days from
today's announcement to review
implementation of this Joint Communi-
que. Future meetings will be
scheduled by mutual agreement.
For the Government of
The United States of America:
(MICHAEL SKOL)
Principal Deputy Assistant
Secretary
Inter-American Affairs
For the Government of
The Republic of Cuba:
(RICARDO ALARCON)
President
Cuban National Assembly
New York, September 9, 1994 U

U.S. Department of State Dispatch * September 12, 1994 * Vol. 5, No. 37

603

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