Group wants embargo's end tied to vote

  BY NANCY SAN MARTIN

  A delegation from the Cuban American National Foundation met with former President Jimmy Carter on Thursday to offer advice on his upcoming visit to Havana. The group also committed itself to support the lifting of the U.S. trade embargo if Cuba agreed to several actions, including ''free and fair elections'' within 12 months.

  ''It was a very productive meeting,'' said Jorge Mas Santos, CANF chairman. ``I told him he could be the right person at the right time for Cuba. . . . We're cautiously optimistic. We hope some of the things we've recommended can be achieved.''

  The private meeting at the Carter Center in Atlanta was among dozens of briefings that have taken place with Cuba enthusiasts -- from agricultural groups and former diplomats to academics and a variety of Cuban Americans -- since Carter began making preparations for the May 12-17 visit earlier this year.

  LANDMARK VISIT

  Carter will be the first U.S. president, in or out of office, to travel to Cuba and meet with President Fidel Castro since 1959.

  In addition to the CANF delegation, separate meetings also were held Thursday with James Carragher, coordinator for Cuban affairs for the Department of State, and staff members from the Cuban Interests Section in Washington.

  The Carter Center declined to comment on the contents of the meetings.

  ''In recent weeks, President Carter has had a series of briefings with a wide range of experts and interest groups,'' Deanna Congileo, a spokeswoman, said in a written statement.

  NO DETAILS ON TALKS

  ''We appreciate the information everyone has provided to us. These were private meetings, so we are not disclosing details about the discussions,'' Congileo said.

  Among the topics covered by CANF during the 40-minute gathering were political prisoners, dissidents, freedom of expression and the trade embargo.

  The foundation urged Carter to insist that Cuba release political prisoners unconditionally, repeal laws that punish those who publicly criticize the government and invite independent journalists on the island to cover the event. The foundation also challenged Carter to publicly discuss a dissident movement known as the Varela Project, which involves the collection of 10,000 signatures needed to force a referendum on revamping Cuba's socialist government.

  CARTER ATTENTIVE

  Many of those who have been involved in previous briefings described them as sessions in which Carter attentively listened to testimony, took notes and asked many questions.

  Some said Carter has done extensive research, including pulling virtually every U.S. government memorandum related to Castro over his 43 years in power.

  Others said the former president is ill-prepared to travel to the Western Hemisphere's only remaining communist nation.