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US lawmakers say it's time to restore staff at Cuba embassy
HAVANA (AP) — U.S. law- and other members of the
makers visiting Cuba urged delegation told reporters
the State Department on in Havana that Cuban of-
Wednesday to restore ficials have cooperated
embassy staff pulled from with U.S. authorities in an
the country last year in re- investigation into the cause
sponse to mysterious ail- of symptoms and that the
ments among diplomats cut to embassy staff only
and their families. hurts bilateral relations.
The visit by six Democratic "I have the impression
members of the Senate and the Cubans have offered
House of Representatives whatever cooperation we
comes as the State Depart- want, in discovering what
ment decides whether to if anything happened,"
send its personnel back to Leahy said. "I don't see
the island. A decision is ex- that they have any advan-
pected by March 4. tage to doing something
Secretary of State Rex Til- to harm our personnel, the
lerson said the symptoms, certain result of it is to harm
which included nausea, relations between both
dizziness and headaches, countries."
resulted from "targeted at- He also said that there are
tacks" and cut embassy many American diplomats
staff by 60 percent in Sep- who want to work in Cuba
tember. despite the symptoms that
Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy Washington previously said
U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy from Vermont speaks near the capitol building in Havana, Cuba. U.S.
lawmakers on a Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2017, visit to Cuba are urging the State Department to re-
store embassy staff pulled from the country last year in response to mysterious ailments among
diplomats and their families.
(AP Photo/Desmond Boylan)
affected 24 U.S. govern- Cuban to go the United
ment officials and spouses. States, whether it's for a
Massachusetts Rep. Rep. funeral, wedding, or to be
Jim McGovern said the able to be with their fami-
cuts are also hurting ordi- lies, betrays our values,"
nary Cubans, who can no McGovern said. "It's not
longer get basic services the way we should be ap-
from a now eerily quiet U.S. proaching this. And that's
Embassy. "Making it virtually why we all want our staffing
impossible for the average issues addressed here."q
Russia critical of Western
pressure agianst Moscow
By JOVANA GEC cisely this logic when they
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — communicate with coun-
Russia's foreign minister tries in Western Balkans,
on Wednesday criticized and not only there."
Western policies toward Lavrov visited EU member
his country, blasting the Slovenia before proceed-
European Union for failing ing to Serbia, an EU hope-
to maintain good relations ful that remains a rare ally
with Moscow despite the of Moscow in the region
divisions over Ukraine and where Russia wants to main-
many other issues. tain its traditional influence.
Sergey Lavrov said during While Slovenia joined West-
a visit to Slovenia that be- ern sanctions against Rus-
ing a member of NATO or sia over Ukraine, Serbia has
the EU "does not mean it refused to do so despite
is necessary to avoid con- EU demands. There have
tacts with states that are been mounting fears in the
not included in those inter- West that Russia has been
national organizations," like using Serbia to foment ten-
Russia. sions in the Balkans by arm-
"I think it's absolutely det- ing its ally with warplanes
rimental to push a false and tanks while working
choice on any country, to destabilize neighboring
which suggests that well, Bosnia, Montenegro and
you go either West or East," Macedonia. “I want to be
he said. "Regrettably, some clear, Serbia will never im-
of our counterparts in the pose sanctions against the
West proceed from pre- Russian Federation.” q