From Damian Whitworth In Havana. The Times, March 31.
AS A result of a diplomatic move that demonstrates that after 40 years in power Fidel Castro has lost none of his ability to astonish, Elián González may hear today that his school desk is being sent to Washington as part of an extraordinary attempt to bring him home.
The Cuban President offered what he described as the "perfect formula" to resolve the four-month tug of war. In a 90-minute televised address, President Castro said that Juan Miguel González was ready to go immediately to Washington to care for his boy while his future was
decided.
Cuban and US diplomats were discussing the unexpected offer yesterday as lawyers for the boy's Miami relatives held meetings with US officials just hours before his permission to stay in the country was to be revoked. Lazaro González, the boy's great uncle, has said that he would hand the
boy over to his father if he came to collect him. Most thought that Havana would not allow Señor González to travel to America, the speculation being that Señor Castro feared that once on American soil he would stay.
Now the Cuban leader has said that not only can Señor González go, but so can his new wife, their six-month-old baby and a host of the boy's friends and his teacher. He said he wanted to take Elián's village to him. But Señor Castro said that Señor González
would not leave without a guarantee from the US Government that it would turn the boy over to him, or at least make the maximum effort to do so.
Under the proposed deal, Señor González would go to the Washington home of Fernando Remírez de Esténoz, head of the Cuban Interests Section. It is not clear if he would venture into the cauldron of Miami's Little Havana.
While the proposal was being discussed, the Miami relatives were meeting officials of the Immigration and Naturalisation Service ahead of a deadline this morning, when Elián's permission to stay in the country runs out. The relatives have been asked to give a written undertaking that if a
federal appeal to keep the boy fails they will release him. The INS has said it will begin proceedings to remove the boy if the undertaking is not made by 9am today. The deadline was originally yesterday.
Señor González said shortly after his son was found floating off the US coast that he wanted to go to Miami to collect him. But after meetings with Señor Castro, he did not repeat that statement, but subsequently commented that he feared the reception he would get from
anti-Communist Cuban-Americans in Miami. Señor Gonzalez has remained mostly out of sight and has spoken little about the case.
Janet Reno, the US Attorney-General, said yesterday that the "sacred bond" between parent had child must be honoured.Asked if the Government would be prepared to enforce the latest court ruling that the boy be returned to Cuba, she said "you bet" and denounced as
irresponsible political leaders in Florida who had said that she and the President would be held responsible if Miami went up in flames when the boy left.
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