Bush administration studying former President Carter's plan to visit Cuba

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Bush administration is studying former President Carter's request to travel to Cuba this year. If he gets the green light, the White House wants Carter to push for human rights,

Monday, March 25th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Bush administration is studying former President Carter's request to travel to Cuba this year. If he gets the green light, the White House wants Carter to push for human rights, a spokesman said.

The Treasury Department, which issues permits for Cuba travel, is considering the matter, said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.

Under provisions that restrict travel to Cuba, people seeking to visit the country for humanitarian purposes need to get permission from the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, a department spokeswoman said. Applicants must write a letter and provide information, details and documentation about the trip in order to get permission.

The spokeswoman said she did not know the status of Carter's request.

``The law is clear, the law will be obeyed,'' Fleischer said Monday.

Fleischer said President Bush would want Carter to carry a ``very direct, straightforward message'' to the Cuban leadership. ``In order to have human rights in Cuba, it's important for Fidel Castro to allow democracy to take root, to stop repression, to stop imprisonments, to bring freedom to the people of Cuba,'' Fleischer said.

A Carter spokeswoman said over the weekend that the former president received an invitation to visit Cuba from Castro.

Carter said Friday he expects the Bush administration's ``tacit approval, not their blessing.'' He wants to talk about expanding trade and tourism, he said.