Reuters

WASHINGTON, April 20 – President Bill Clinton said on Thursday there was no reason to prevent Cuban shipwreck
survivor Elian Gonzalez from being reunited with his father now that a court has temporarily banned the 6-year-old boy from
leaving the United States.

The boy's father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez, asked Americans on Thursday to write to Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno to
pressure them to reunite him with Elian, whose mother drowned as she attempted to bring the boy to the United States in a
small boat last November.

"I think he should be reunited with his son. That is the law and the main argument of the family in Miami for not doing so has
now been removed," Clinton told reporters at the White House when asked about the father's statement.

"The court has now said he shouldn't go back to Cuba. The Justice Department agrees with that and he (the father) has agreed
to that so there now is no conceivable argument for his not being able to be reunited with his son," Clinton added.

A federal appeals court in Atlanta ruled on Wednesday that Elian must stay in the United States until it resolves an appeal in the
battle over whether he should eventually return to his communist homeland.

The appeal was filed by the boy's Miami relatives, who are asking that he be granted a hearing for political asylum. It is due to
be heard on May 11.