By The Associated Press

          HAVANA (AP) -- Arkansas lawmakers and rice farmers met Monday
          with Cuban officials amid moves in Washington to ease the four-decade
          trade embargo against this communist island.

          ``We have been very supportive of opening up trade with Cuba,'' U.S.
          Sen. Blanche Lambert Lincoln said after meeting with trade and
          agriculture officials in Havana.

          ``If you look over the past four decades, you will see those who have
          been most affected are the people of Cuba, not the government,'' the
          Arkansas Democrat said. There was little specific information on the
          delegation's agenda.

          The 16-member delegation from Arkansas traveled to Havana as the
          U.S. House of Representatives debated legislation that would allow food
          and medicine to be sold to Cuba. A vote by the full House was expected
          next week.

          The Senate overwhelmingly approved a similar trade measure last year,
          and the House Appropriations Committee approved the measure 35-24
          earlier this month.

          Some 220 House members signed a letter supporting an easing of the
          embargo, though there was fierce opposition from some Republicans.

          ``We feel like the embargo ... has not worked,'' said Rep. Marion Berry,
          a Democrat. Berry said that lifting the restrictions on food and medicine
          sales would benefit both the Cuban people and hard-hit Arkansas
          farmers seeking new markets.

          Arkansas is the United States' No. 1 rice producer, as well as an
          important supplier of poultry, pork, and soybean.

          During the visit to Cuba, members of the Arkansas delegation were to
          tour an agricultural cooperative, a poultry farm and a farmers' market.
          The group arrived in the capital, Havana, on Sunday night, and was to
          return to the United States on Wednesday.