Cuba only soliciting public opinion on US, says envoy

Cuban Ambassador Jorge Rey Jimenez backtracked yesterday on previous statements requesting the assistance of the Philippine government in extraditing a Cuban renegade from the United States.

Jimenez told a news conference he was only trying to "solicit public opinion" over claims that the US had been blocking all efforts to extradite Luis Posada Carilles, a former operative of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) wanted for the 1976 fatal bombing of a Cuban airliner.

Jimenez stressed the initiative did not come from Havana but from a group that wanted Posada to face trial for the 1976 bombing.

He said one of the four Philippines-Cuba friendship associations had actually called the press conference held at the Cuban embassy in Makati City last Saturday.

"The press conference was called by one of the four Philippines-Cuba associations and not by the Cuban Embassy," Jimenez clarified.

"It was the initiative of this group to let you know the situation regarding the case of Posada and the manipulation by the US government. There was a misinformation that the Cuban ambassador asked the Philippine government for the extradition to Cuba of Posada. We did not ask for that," Jimenez told a forum organized by the Philippines-Cuba Cultural & Friendship Association at Bistro Remedios in Manila.

Last Saturday, a news conference was held at the Cuban embassy grounds where the group Philippines-Cuba Friendship Association (Amistad) expressed their support for the extradition of Posada.

Amistad president George Aseñero also said the US government was violating its extradition treaty with Venezuela and betraying its vow to fight global terrorism.

Jimenez likewise issued a statement on the need to extradite Posada for the bombing attack on Cubana Airlines in October 1976 that killed 73 passengers and crewmembers while flying over Barbados.

Jimenez also claimed Posada was wanted for assassination attempts against Cuban President Fidel Castro and bombing attacks against several tourist destinations in the island nation.

Jimenez later clarified the Cuban government itself was not asking the Philippine government to intercede in the extradition efforts.

"We’re not asking that. We never asked that," he said.

Jimenez said Havana had no plan of making a diplomatic move in using its relations with Manila.

"There’s no request to the Philippine government to assist the Cuban government in the extradition of Posada," Jimenez said.

He said it was fine "if the Philippines or any government of the world wants to do something" about the case.

"But not because we requested it officially. We don’t need to make it official. We’re only making this information (available) for public opinion," he said.

In the same news conference in Manila, the Philippines-Cuba Cultural & Friendship Association issued a statement calling on the Philippine government to help in efforts by the Venezuelan government for Poasada’s extradition.

Posada escaped a Venezuelan jail while awaiting trial for the 1976 bombing of the Cuban airliner.

After several years in hiding, he managed to sneak into the US through the Mexican border and sought political asylum only last month.

"He’s a former CIA operative recruited by the US government in the early 1960s. After being in hiding, he has now resurfaced in the US. The US administration, however, is refusing to charge him on terrorism charges and has merely detained him in the US," the group said.

US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Joseph Mussomeli earlier said Washington will not object if the Philippine government accedes to Cuba’s request to help in the extradition of Posada.