17 May 1999
Source: http://frwebgate2.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate.cgi?WAISdocID=6378817808+34+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve

Note: Leads on the "German encryption and monitoring firm" cited below would be appreciated. While CryptoAG may be a candidate, with NSA's complicity, it is surely not the only one offering dual-use duplicity.

[Congressional Record: May 13, 1999 (House)]
[Page H3091-H3109]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr13my99-28]

[Excerpt]

 Report by the Delegation of the U.S. Association of Former Members of 
              Congress: Visit to Cuba, January 10-16, 1999

  Members of Delegation: Hon. Louis Frey, Jr., Chairman; Hon. Dennis 
 DeConcini; Hon. Robert W. Kasten, Jr.; Hon. Larry Pressler; Hon. Alan 
            Wheat; Mr. Walter Raymond, Jr.; Mr. Oscar Juarez


                                SUMMARY

       The U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress sent a 
     seven-member, bipartisan delegation to Cuba from 10 to 16 
     January 1999 to see first hand current political, economic 
     and social conditions in Cuba and to engage in a series of 
     frank discussions concerning U.S.-Cuban relations. ...

       The United States should exhibit a greater sense of 
     confidence that increased contacts between the United States 
     and Cuba will work to the advantage of the development of a 
     more open society rather than to help Castro. People-to-
     people contacts, increased travel, an unlimited supply of 
     food and medicines are not viewed by the Cuban people as an 
     aid to Castro, but rather as support to the Cuban people.

     Policy Recommendations ...

       10. Technical breakthroughs in the telecommunications 
     industry should be explored to increase information links to 
     Cuba. Internet, e-mail, cell phones and other state-of-the-
     art communications slowly are bringing information and ideas 
     to the country. It is recommended that the U.S. Government 
     and Congress consider authorizing U.S. telecommunications 
     companies to explore possibilities for establishing more open 
     and diverse communications between the United States and 
     Cuba. ...

  background to policy recommendations and other observations by the 
                               delegation

     ...

     The Cuban Minister of Communications and the Director of 
     Telecommunications expressed a strong interest in more 
     foreign investments in all areas of telecommunications. They 
     are, however, reluctant to give the citizens complete access 
     to Internet. As an example, while cellular phones are being 
     developed under the rubric CUBACEL with a Mexican partner, 
     security concerns significantly have slowed this effort.

       Castro and his Minister of Interior have succeeded in 
     implementing a program of very tight control of Cuba's access 
     to the Internet and are opposed to expanding the 
     telecommunications sector and Internet. The Cubans also 
     completely control the Internet server provider (ISP). The 
     Cubans have an intra-island Internet with which university-
     approved people and others have access. In addition, there 
     are several Internet sites within Cuban which are available. 
     In terms of international internet, individual Cubans can 
     access only those sites approved for them. For example, a 
     medical university may have access to certain medical sites, 
     but each is encrypted, monitored and recorded.

       At the same time, the rapid technical advances in the world 
     telecommunications industry create a serious dilemma for the 
     Cuban regime. They need to have their key people on Internet 
     for scientific and educational reasons, but are hesitant to 
     grant unlimited access. To restrict this, they have worked 
     with a German encryption and monitoring firm to keep track of 
     ``who does what'' on Internet in Cuba. The Castro regime is 
     making a strong effort to record all e-mail and all other 
     computer transmissions. The delegation was advised that while 
     Cubans now eagerly exchange e-mail transmissions--each 
     delegation member received calling cards with e-mail 
     addresses--all e-mail is monitored and recorded through one 
     central server. While Cuban officials would not acknowledge 
     this, the delegation was advised that only about 200 Cubans 
     have complete, unfettered access to the Internet. The Cuban 
     government has not resolved the basic conflict of how it can 
     aspire to being a modern technological state without allowing 
     more of its people access to the complete international 
     internet With--technological advances proceeding to mind-
     numbing speed, it is reasonable to assume that Castro will 
     not be able to deter major information flows arriving in 
     Cuba. It should be U.S. policy to foster this information 
     revolution.

     ...

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