DATE=3/2/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CUBA DIPLOMAT (L-O)
NUMBER=2-259791
BYLINE=MICHAEL BOWMAN
DATELINE=MIAMI
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
Voiced At:
INTRO: A Cuban diplomat accused of espionage in the
United States has been given a hero's welcome upon his
return to his native island, after spending five days
in Canada. V-O-A's Michael Bowman reports from Miami.
TEXT: Cuban diplomat Jose Imperatori arrived in
Havana late Thursday, nearly two weeks after the
United States first accused the official of spying.
Cuban President Fidel Castro was on-hand to greet Mr.
Imperatori - a man the Cuban Government says has been
the victim of an American smear campaign (effort to
destroy his reputation).
The diplomat arrived aboard a plane specifically
dispatched by the Cuban Government, ending a brief
stand-off with Canadian authorities.
For five days, Mr. Imperatori hid inside Cuba's
Embassy in Ottawa, launching a hunger strike and
overstaying his 48-hour visa - hoping to return to the
United States, where he said he wanted to disprove the
Clinton Administration's charges of espionage.
But Canada demanded his removal, and on Thursday Cuba
acquiesced.
The former vice-consul of the Cuban Interests Section
in Washington also fought expulsion from the United
States. The move forced the F-B-I to escort him to an
airport outside Washington this past Saturday, hours
after the seven-day deadline for his departure had
expired.
Mr. Imperatori has been linked to a high-ranking U-S
Immigration official of Cuban origin arrested last
month in Miami for allegedly passing sensitive
information to Cuban operatives.
Cuba says the United States engineered the spy scandal
so as to delay the return of six-year-old Cuban
shipwreck survivor Elian Gonzalez to the island.
The Clinton Administration denies the allegation and
insists the detained Immigration official never
handled any portion of the Elian Gonzalez matter.
(SIGNED)
NEB/MCB/PT
02-Mar-2000 18:27 PM EDT (02-Mar-2000 2327 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
