By RODOLFO A. WINDHAUSEN. Virtual New York. 7 September 2000 14:07 (ET)
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who had a brief encounter with President Bill Clinton at a U.N. luncheon, has been excluded from a diplomatic reception the American delegation is offering Thursday to dignitaries attending the Millennium Summit.
P.J. Crowley, a spokesman for the US National Security Council, said Castro has not been invited to the reception at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and neither are officials from Iraq and Libya.
The United States does not maintain diplomatic relations with Cuba, which has been subject to a unilateral US trade embargo for nearly 40 years. Iran and Libya are on a US government list of countries that promote terrorism. On Wednesday, Castro had approached Clinton at the end of a luncheon
for some 160 heads of state and government, hosted by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan. Crowley had told journalists that there had been "a momentary exchange" between the two leaders at the luncheon, but White House press secretary Joe Lockhart later said "there was no handshake."
When asked to comment on the episode at the regular press briefing Thursday, U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard referred all questions on the subject to "the U.S. and Cuban missions."
There was no word on what Castro and Clinton said to each other. The U.S. reception is expected to be attended by some 800 people, mostly heads of state and government, diplomats and high-ranking UN officials. Crowley said that "not every participant in the Millennium Summit was invited.
There are countries around the world that we have serious concerns about, such as their support for terrorism. And we didn't think it was appropriate to invite them to a reception hosted by the president of the United States."
During his visit to the U.N. headquarters, Castro showed disposition to poke fun at himself. Before beginning his speech at the Millennium Summit, he pulled out a handkerchief and covered the podium light that indicates speakers they are reaching their five-minute time limit.
The unexpected gesture, an obvious reference to his reputation for hours-long speeches, made the audience at the General Assembly hall burst into laughter.
At the luncheon Wednesday, when he was shown to his seat, the 74-year-old Cuban leader joked in Spanish: "I don't know where they are taking me."
Copyright 2000 by United Press International. | 