From The State Department

Por: Capitol Hill Cubans



From today's Daily Press Briefing with Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, Phillip J. Crowley:

QUESTION: P.J., I am trying to make a follow-up on Bill Richardson's travel to Cuba. Do you have anything on that?

MR. CROWLEY: I could just repeat what I said yesterday. He is on a New Mexico state trade visit. He himself has made one before. I think there have been multiple trade delegations from New Mexico to Cuba. We did talk to him last week, brought him up to date on the case of Mr. Gross, and encouraged him to bring it up while he's in Havana.

QUESTION: Is he also a special envoy of the State Department trying to promote dialogue or so?

MR. CROWLEY: Again, I can repeat what I just said more dramatically. He is there on a state trade visit. He is not there carrying a message from the United States other than to encourage Cuba to release Alan Gross.