GIT and SSH

I am starting to use GIT and I would be grateful for a simple answer to a
specific situation to help me find the right ball-park.


a.) Does the communication that takes place between a GIT `client` and a remote
    GIT `repository` involve 'ssh' traffic?


Our connections here are heavily censored and ssh traffic is suppressed most of
the time which is why I need to figure out why a simple  

    $ git clone git://<URL> 

command chokes to a halt and freezes most of the time ( the same command when
executed remotely on our V.P.S. in Europe works flawlessly ).
 

b.) Are there means to make the `git` client on my machine circumvent this?


Y/N answers or brief hints to my questions suffice, I'll work out the rest. 

Basically I would like to know whether there is a point at all trying to make
git work from where I am, given the limitations mentioned.

Regards

Reza