CLINTON CUBA POLICY IN CHAOS SUMMER READING Fiction & Guide to Armchair Traveling The new Ford Explorer is vehicle at a substantial discount. identification number (PIN). designed to get you through This discount is over and above When you receive it, just take almost anything. From standard any retail incentives available at your PIN acknowledgement to four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, the time of purchase or lease. any authorized Ford or Lincoln- to standard dual air bags* to To take advantage of this Mercury dealership and they will automatic Control Trac four-wheel special offer, just complete and assist you in obtaining the vehicle drive, it’s the best Explorer ever. mail or fax the registration form of your choice. To recognize your diplomatic below along with the required status, Ford Motor Company information. Upon receipt of your FORD offers qualified personnel the documentation, your personal ability to purchase or lease the Program Headquarters administra¬ Mercury new 1995 Ford Explorer or any tor will validate your request and other Ford, Mercury or Lincoln issue your individualized personal ‘Always wear your safety belt. Please send my Diplomat Sales Program approval (PIN). I am enclosing a copy of my Diplomatic Passport or verification of employment at an eligible international organization. You must dreck one of the following: U.S. Delivery U.S. Port Delivery for NAME (Please Print) and Registration Overseas Shipment ADDRESS Mail or fax this registration form and accompanying support documents to: CITY STATE DIPLOMAT SALES HEADQUARTERS Ford Business Assistance Center COUNTRY ZIP P.O. Box 43310 Detroit, MI 48243 PHONE NUMBER or call toll free at 1-800-548-3212 (U.S. only) FAX 1-313-396-2971 FAX NUMBER Clements & Company was insuring automobiles overseas when this car was brand new! 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There is no other policy that provides such an array of coverages, all under one “package”, for a very reasonable cost. 1730 K Street, NW, Suite 701, Washington, DC 20006 CLEMENTS & COMPANY TELEPHONE (202) 872-0060 or (800) 872-0067 FACSIMILE (202) 466-9064 INTERNET [email protected] Insurance Worldwide. For Those Of \bu In ^shineton Who Want Shorter Terms••• Fully Furnished Apartments 1 Bedroom or Large Executive Suites Starting from $1095 Available for 30 days or more/Pro-rates available Security Underground Parking Roof Top Pool 25’’Color T.V. Fitness Room Aerobics Classes Ddl Lv/11 Daily Newspaper Delivery 2 Telephones and House Answering Machine 2525 N. 10th Street North Arlington, VA Welcome Gifts (703)525-2600 tSEQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY CONTENTS AUGUST 1995 Vol. 72, No. 8 COVER FEATURES Focus ON SUMMER READING CUBA POLICY IN DISARRAY /16 26 / FICTION: THE EMPRESS TREE After Months of Flipflops, Secret Talks By Ruth Kling Is Clinton Agenda On Course Yet? By George Gedda 30 / FICTION: DIALLO AND THE BOB-YAM By Michele Sison and Jeff Hawkins SLOWING NATO’S GROWTH / 22 East Europe Membership 36 / FICTION: INSCRUTABLE IN ROME Would Weaken Security Alliance By James F. O’Callaghan By Jonathan Dean 42 / FICTION: THE DOLL Focus By Frances M. Knowles 48 / FICTION: AN EGG FOR BREAKFAST By Edward J. Cvetan 52 / WANDERINGS OF A COUCH POTATO An Armchair Travelers Guide To the Best New Foreign Travel Books By Karen Krebsbach Page 26 55 / CHOOSING A COUNTRY GUIDEBOOK By Karen Krebsbach COLUMNS 5 / PRESIDENT’S VIEWS An Open Letter to the Senate: Defeat S.908 By F.A. “Tex” Harris 13 / SPEAKING OUT The Political Strength of ‘Visa Diplomacy’ DEPARTMENTS By Kevin D. Stringer LETTERS/7 CLIPPINGS /10 68 / POSTCARD FROM ABROAD Comforting Americans in Mexican Jails AFSA NEWS/CENTER PULLOUT SECTION By Linda Eichblatt INDEX TO ADVERTISERS / 67 Cover illustration by Rosemary Henry-May FOREIGNOERVICE THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS _I_J O U R N A I. NO Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0015-7279), 2101 E Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is published monthly by the American Foreign Service Association, a private, non-profit organization. Material appearing Editor Editorial Board KAREN KREBSBACH herein represents the opinions of the writers and does not necessarily represent the views of the Journal, the Chairman Editorial Board or AFSA. Writer queries are invited. Journal subscription: AFSA Members - $9.50 included Managing Editor SHELDON J. KRYS NANCY JOHNSON in annual dues; others - $40. For foreign surface mail, add $18 peryear; foreign airmail, $36 per year. Second- PHYLLIS DICHTER-FORBES class postage paid at Mertifield, Va., and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Assistant Editor JOHN ERIKSSON ELIZABETH ALLAN DAVID I. HITCHCOCK Foreign Service Journal, 2101 E Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990. Indexed by Public Affairs Advertising it Circulation SUSAN KEOUGH-FISHER Information Service (PAIS). The Journal is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos or illustrations. Manager DOYLE MCMANUS Advertising inquiries are invited. The appearance of advertisements herein does not imply the endorsement JANET G. EMERY DAN MOZENA of the services or goods offered. FAX: (202) 338-8244 or (202) 338-6820. TELEPHONE: (202) 338-4045. © Interns DANIEL O. NEWBERRY DONALD NORLAND American Foreign Service Association, 1995. Printed in the U.S.A. Send address changes for the Foreign DEIRDRE FERNANDES R. ANNE SIGMUND Service Journal to AFSA, 2101 E Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990. TONY LIN AUGUST 1995/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 3 AFSA Salutes the 1995 Award Winners FOR CONSTRUCTIVE DISSENT Dennis C. Jett Janice Weiner Gregory H. Stanton CHRISTIAN A. HERTER AWARD WILLIAM R. RIVKIN AWARD W. AVERELL HARRIMAN AWARD Delavan Award: Charlotte Stottman, R. Diana Clayton M. Juanita Guess Award: Denine L. Scott Avis Bohlen Award: Anne Bridgman AFSA Achievement Awards: Stephen A. Klaus, L. Bruce Laingen U. Alexis Johnson FOR LIFETIME CONTRIBUTIONS TO AMERICAN DIPLOMACY PRESIDENT’S VIEWS An Open Letter to the Senate: Defeat S.908 BY F. A. “TEX" HARRIS The American Foreign Service tarian assistance; controls the entry of Association (AFSA) commented Over the last visitors, emigrants and refugees; fos¬ on the proposed Foreign ters sustainable development; and pro¬ Relations Revitalization Act of 1995, decade, the U.S. tects the global environment. S.908, sponsored by Sen. Jesse Helms Our diplomatic readiness is decreas¬ (R- N.C), chairman of the Senate foreign affairs ing. The State Department can no Foreign Relations Committee. This is longer afford to staff some key positions what AFSA wrote to each senator: account has overseas. About a third of the recent “The Senate is considering S.908 at trainees in the department s core diplo¬ a time of unprecedented hollowing been halved. matic tradecraft course are from anoth¬ out of Americas diplomatic capabili¬ er government agency. The Foreign ties. S.908 is an effort to reform U.S. Service examination this year had to be foreign affairs in the face of enormous postponed to save funds; die number of pressures to balance the budget. eign policy abroad sends the message incoming officers now is a diird of the AFSA, the representative of more that America will do less in the world, levels of previous years. than 23,000 active and retired Foreign and less for its own citizens. This is not For the first time in history, forced Service professionals, welcomes con¬ a sound policy. The costs of fighting management decisions have led die U.S. structive changes to strengthen totalitarianism during World War II mission in Zagreb, a small but important Americas diplomatic efforts overseas. and the Cold War were extremely embassy, to close down its classified com¬ However, AFSAs judgement is that high. Today we cannot afford to turn munications for a month. The embassy other provisions in the the bill signifi¬ our back on the world and our hard- in Caracas declared virtual bankruptcy, cantly weaken, rather than revitalize fought victories by failing to fund and announced it was unable to provide our foreign affairs structure. Because diplomacy — our country's first, low¬ the usual administrative services to other we have come to a different conclu¬ est-cost and least-risk)? line of defense. agencies in the mission. sion than the SFRC regarding the Over the last decade, the U.S. for¬ What is really needed is a thoughtful implications of S.908, AFSA urges its eign affairs account has been cut by review of how die more than 40 U.S. gov¬ defeat. nearly 50 percent. In S.908, the autho¬ ernment agencies working abroad can The bills funding and staff cuts to rizations for the critical State accomplish die key objectives of this U.S. diplomatic operations do not Department operations account are nation in this post-Cold War era. A recent make sense at a time when American reduced by $53 million below die fiscal Inspector General of die State leadership is needed throughout the ’95 levels and $95.7 million below the Departments report on die 10 laigest world, when U.S. economic competi¬ administrations request. Otiier foreign U.S. embassies shows a significant gap tors are expanding their diplomatic and affairs accounts are cut as well. These between priority goals and the levels of economic reach, and when the accounts fund the basic U.S.