DATE=2/27/2000 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT TITLE=U-S - CUBA SPY (L) NUMBER=2-259606 BYLINE=VICTOR BEATTIE DATELINE=WASHINGTON INTERNET=YES CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: A Cuban diplomat, who refused to leave the United States after being charged with espionage, returns to Havana today (Sunday) after being escorted to a Washington airport by law enforcement officials. V-O-A's Victor Beattie reports Jose Imperatori, who maintains his innocence, was preparing to contest the allegations linking him to a U-S immigration official charged with spying. Text: The U-S State Department says Mr. Imperatori was expelled from the United States for not voluntarily leaving the country by the deadline of midday Saturday. The 46-year old diplomat, who had worked at the Cuban Interests Section in Washington, was not handcuffed and looked impassive as he was taken by federal agents to Reagan National Airport outside Washington for a government flight to Montreal. A Canadian commercial flight was to take him back to Cuba. At a Saturday news conference, Mr. Imperatori strongly denied links with arrested immigration official Mariano Faget, a Cuban-born official charged with spying. At a separate news conference Saturday, Cuban Interests Section spokesman Fernando Ramirez acknowledged his colleague had had contacts with Mr. Faget, but insists they were not criminal in nature. ///Ramirez actuality/// We want to be very clear that he is completely innocent, that he didn't do anything wrong, that the Cuban Interests Section in Washington does not do any kind of intelligence or espionage activities. ///end actuality/// Mr. Ramirez insists there is a link between Mr. Faget's arrest and the custody battle over six-year old Elian Gonzalez, a shipwreck victim saved off the U-S coast and that Havana demands be returned to his father in Cuba. Court papers have identified Mr. Imperatori as the immigration official's washington contact. Mr. Imperatori earlier had resigned his post as Consular Affairs Officer leaving him without diplomatic immunity insisting he is a victim of what he calls a major slander. His refusal to leave voluntarily came as no surprise as Cuban officials signalled all last week they had no intention of willingly abiding by the deportation order. (signed). neb/vb/plm 27-Feb-2000 02:23 AM EDT (27-Feb-2000 0723 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
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