US eases embargo on storm-hit Cuba

US eases embargo on storm-hit Cuba
Article from: AAP
From correspondents in Havana
September 17, 2008 08:34am

BYPASSING its trade embargo on communist Cuba, the United States has
approved $US250 million ($315 million) in "farm sales" to Havana,
including food and construction materials in an aid offer after
Hurricanes Gustav and Ike devastated Cuba's crops leaving potential for
a food crisis.
The licenses for agricultural sales were approved after Ike lashed Cuba
a week ago and "wood, a material essential to rebuilding, is included" a
State Department statement handed to reporters at the US Interests
Section in Havana said.

The US State Department said in Washington on Monday it regretted that
Cuba had rejected its offer of up to $US5 million ($6.3 million) in aid
for the victims of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

The US has tense and limited relations with its communist neighbor,
which has been under a US embargo for more than four decades.

Cuba last week urged Washington to ease its trade embargo to allow US
firms to open private lines of credit for food imports to the
cash-strapped island of more than 11 million people.

A Spanish aircraft meanwhile was due in Cuba on Tuesday with 17 tonnes
of aid from the World Food Program and another four tonnes from Spain to
help those affected by the hurricanes.

Spain also has promised €300,000 ($535,000) for rebuilding social
infrastructure, €200,000 ($357,000) for the Red Cross and another
€18,000 ($32,000) via the Pan American Health Organization for the
repair of medical centers, according to an official statement.

Cuba on Friday said it did not have the resources to recover from the
devastation wrought by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, including seven dead,
320,000 homes destroyed and extensive damage to crops.

Last week, Spain sent a first aid flight to Cuba with an aircraft
ferrying 16 tonnes of aid. Other countries, including Brazil, Russia and
Ecuador, have also sent humanitarian assistance.

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21498,24359624-5005361,00.html?from=public_rss