Daily Press Briefing Robert Wood, Deputy Spokesman Washington, DC September 5, 2008 INDEX:
TRANSCRIPT: Excerpts from the Daily Press Briefing of September 5, 2008, pertaining to Western Hemisphere Affairs. Full Briefing.
QUESTION: Anything on hurricane relief, requests from countries in the path of the hurricane, and particularly providing assistance to Cuba as well as any requests for Americans to evacuate? MR. WOOD: Let me see what I have here. I have some specifics on Jamaica and Haiti, and I think we can – if you want to check with the Press Office, we’ve got some stuff on Cuba. I don’t have it with me today. Okay? You’re interested on something on Jamaica, Haiti, or -- QUESTION: Sure. MR. WOOD: Sure, okay. QUESTION: Thank you. MR. WOOD: Let’s see. The U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica made a disaster declaration and authorized the release of $100,000 in USAID emergency relief funds to assist the Jamaican Government in its relief effort. A USAID flight with emergency relief items for storm victims is scheduled to arrive in Kingston. I think that’s – I believe that actually – I think it happened yesterday. What I have here is the 4th. Let’s see. USAID personnel on the ground are working with Jamaican officials to assess damage and determine if there are additional requirements for the United States. In Haiti, the U.S. Ambassador authorized $100,000 in USAID emergency funds to support relief efforts. And let’s see. We have USAID disaster experts assessing damage with Haitian counterparts and humanitarian assistance organizations to determine additional assistance requirements. Let’s see. The Dominican Republic -- the Ambassador has authorized $50,000 in USAID emergency funds to support relief efforts. In the Bahamas, Embassy Nassau and USAID are monitoring the impacts of Tropical Storms Hanna and Ike. No U.S. Government assistance requirements have yet been identified for the Bahamas. Kirit. QUESTION: Just a follow-up, actually, on the Cuba front. I’m – this is the question that I wanted to have answered. There were a few – or a number of Cuban American activists who were asking the State Department to lift restrictions on imports into – or exports into Cuba so that they can be used for humanitarian relief in the wake of the – I think it was Gustav or Hanna that went through there. So I don’t know if you have anything on it specifically. MR. WOOD: I don’t at this moment. We’ll see what we have. |