Castro may be posturing after U.S. rebuff of his Katrina offer

By Gary Marx
Chicago Tribune

HAVANA · The surprising decision by Cuban President Fidel Castro to accept an offer by the U.S. government of humanitarian assistance could signal a temporary improvement in the tattered relationship between the countries.

But few experts believe the proposed visit by three U.S. aid officials to assess the damage wrought by Hurricane Wilma will break the political deadlock in which President Bush is seeking to oust Castro while Castro opposes U.S. polices around the globe.

In fact, the aid mission could be scuttled even before it gets off the ground, illustrating the difficulty of any potential rapprochement between the two nations.

Although in recent months officials from the two countries have rejected mutual offers of assistance after hurricane disasters, Castro announced Thursday evening that he would welcome the experts from the U.S. Agency for International Development to the island despite emphasizing that Cuba had not solicited international assistance.

It's unclear when or if the aid experts will arrive on the island.

Yet, while U.S. officials are offering to send a disaster assessment team and perhaps provide emergency assistance, Castro said he is interested only in opening a dialogue with American officials over how to improve relief efforts throughout the region.

"We are going to discuss, let's get an agreement, and really help each other mutually in cases of disaster," Castro said on national television.

Hurricane Wilma caused some of the worst flooding in Cuba in years despite passing north of the island.

While there were no reported deaths, more than 100,000 were affected by the flooding in Havana, and 369 homes were damaged or destroyed, according to the Communist Party daily Granma.

At least 118 electrical poles were downed in the western province of Pinar del Rio, and tobacco and fruit crops suffered severe damage, according to local newspapers.

Yet, despite the extensive damage, Castro may have accepted the offer more for political reasons than economic ones, according to experts and diplomats.

Daniel Erikson, director of Caribbean programs at the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington-based policy group, recalled that Castro denounced the U.S. for rejecting Cuba's offer to help victims of Hurricane Katrina and may not have wanted to open himself up to similar criticism.

Last month, Cuba offered to send more than 1,500 physicians to the devastated U.S. Gulf Coast region. U.S. officials said the Cuban doctors were not needed because enough American doctors had volunteered to help.

But Erikson said Castro also could be using the aid mission to "recalibrate" relations with the United States.

Erikson recalled that Castro shifted policy and began purchasing large quantities of U.S. agricultural products after Hurricane Michelle devastated the island in 2001.

"This is an opportunity to feel out the U.S. a little bit to see what type of people they send; are they professionals or political hacks?" Erikson said. "It's an opportunity to learn about U.S. intentions."

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