Obama Opening Door To Cuba For U.S. TelecomObama Opening Door To Cuba For U.S. Telecom

In an effort to ease the icy relations between the United States and Cuba, the White House on Monday said it will begin permitting U.S. telecommunications firms to apply for licenses to supply communications links to the communist island.

The proposal outlined by the Obama administration is one of several aims of the president to increase the flow of information to the Caribbean island.

"We stand on the side of having more information rather than less information reach the Cuban people," Dan Restrepo, an Obama special assistant, said Monday in a news briefing.

The move is part of a broader effort to improve relations with Cuba on the eve of Summit of the Americas meeting scheduled to be held in Trinidad later in the week. The Obama administration wants the meeting to focus on the worldwide economic meltdown, but U.S.-Cuban relations also are expected to be discussed.

As it is, Cuba's chief regional ally -- Venezuela -- had agreed in 2006 to link Cuba with high-speed fiber-optic cable that was expected to link the two countries by 2010. Traditionally, Cuba had sought to block Internet access for its citizens but has begun to loosen restrictions. Raul Castro, who has taken over Cuba's leadership in the illness of his brother Fidel, began allowing Cuban citizens to use cell phones last year. However, few Cubans could take advantage of the relaxation because the devices are too expensive for them to acquire.

The new U.S. policy would permit the establishment of fiber-optic cables and satellite links between Cuba and the United States. The policy change would allow roaming service agreements between the two countries and permit U.S. residents to pay for the services.

The Obama administration also has proposed relaxing some travel and other restrictions that have been in effect in Cuba in recent years.

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