BY JAY WEAVER

 U.S. officials reiterated a tough position on the custody battle over Elian Gonzalez
 on Saturday: Miami relatives must surrender him to his father and Tuesday's
 deadline for revoking his permission to stay in the United States stands.

 ''We're not talking about whether there will be a transfer of Elian Gonzalez to his
 father, it's only a matter of how,'' said Maria Cardona of the Immigration and
 Naturalization Service in Washington.

 Cardona responded to assertions Friday by Elian's Miami relatives that they
 would not voluntarily surrender Elian to the father and only give up the boy if the
 INS ordered them to -- but not at a neutral site, something the INS wants so
 federal agents can avoid demonstrators outside the home.

 Negotiations between government attorneys and lawyers for the Miami relatives
 resume Monday. The INS has set a 9 a.m. Tuesday deadline for withdrawing
 Elian's permission to stay in the United States.

 Cardona also said INS had not received a visa application from Elian's father, Juan
 Miguel Gonzalez, to come here, though Cuban President Fidel Castro said he
 was ready to.

 Lazaro Gonzalez, the boy's great-uncle, said Saturday that the family wants to
 welcome Elian's father, his new wife and their child in their home. They believe it
 is the best way to prevent ''an abrupt change to Elian's environment,'' and say
 they have psychological evaluations supporting them.

 ''We are sure Juan Miguel shares our concern,'' he said. ''They should come. . .
 and spend time with us as a family, to begin a process of interaction with Elian
 under circumstances that are best for him.''

                     Copyright 2000 Miami Herald