No Prisoner Exchanges

February 9, 2011



From today's U.S. State Department Press Briefing:



QUESTION: On Cuba, Alan Gross, the American, has been detained there. The Cuban Government is saying that they are going to seek a 20-year sentence. Have you gotten any confirmation on that? And did Alan Gross, in fact, work for the State Department in any capacity in Cuba?

[Assistant Secretary of State, P.J.] CROWLEY: Well, we released a statement on Friday that made clear he was an international development worker in Cuba, providing support to members of the Cuban Jewish community, and that we are disappointed in the intent to seek a 20-year sentence.

QUESTION: Follow-up on Gross again, there's a sense that Cuban Government wants a quid pro quo with the so-called five spies. Your reaction to that, please?

MR. CROWLEY: Look, we want to see Mr. Gross return to the United States. What he did was not a crime. We're not negotiating on his – we'd like to see him released. And his case should not be attached to any other.