MIAMI, Jan 11 (Reuters) - The U.S. Immigration and Naturalisation Service said on Tuesday it would not immediately move to send shipwreck survivor Elian Gonzalez back to Cuba following a judge's controversial ruling he should stay for now with relatives in Miami, but it did not rule out the
possibility in due course.
The INS was still reviewing the judge's decision, said an INS spokeswoman in Washington, Maria Cardona.
Family court Judge Rosa Rodriguez said on Monday that 6-year-old Elian, the centre of a six-week international custody battle, should stay with relatives in Miami until after a hearing in March to determine if he would be harmed by going back to his father in communist Cuba.
The INS ruled last week that he should be returned to his father in Cuba following the death of his mother when a boat smuggling migrants from Cuba to Florida capsized. Elian was rescued at sea on Nov. 25.
``Right now we are in the process of reviewing the finding the state court put out yesterday to see what impact it might have, if any, on the INS ruling that Juan Miguel Gonzalez has the sole right to speak for his son,'' Cardona said.
``While we review that decision the INS is not going to forcibly remove Elian Gonzalez from the house of his great uncle.''
Cardona said that while the INS wanted to resolve the dispute in cooperation with Miami relatives who want Elian to stay in the United States with them: ``That does not mean we will not enforce our decision,'' depending on the review of the judge's ruling.
18:21 01-11-00
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