Cuba says US charge of harassment a 'blatant' lie

[Judi Lynn]

Cuba says US charge of harassment a 'blatant' lie
14 June 2006

HAVANA: State-supplied electricity flowed again on Tuesday at the US diplomatic mission in Havana, even as Cuba termed a "blatant" lie US charges that power had been deliberately cut over a week ago.

"The lights came back on in the early afternoon," said mission spokesperson Drew Blakeney, who attributed the service renewal to international coverage of the US charge.

But Blakeney said he doubted problems with President Fidel Castro's government were over.

"We need visas for our personnel who are going to work here, both on a long-term and short-term basis," he said. "We need permission to import cars, we need a regular supply of electricity, we need a regular supply of water. . . or obviously our presence here is unsustainable."

The Castro government said earlier Tuesday that the Bush administration and Miami-based Cuban-American groups were seeking a pretext to close the mission and end limited co-operation between the long-time ideological foes on immigration and other matters.

"They lie blatantly. . . We categorically deny that there have been premeditated electricity cuts," said a statement carried by all state-run media.
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http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3700225a12,00.html