Castro denies accepting U.S. aid.

Cuban President Fidel Castro denied that his government had accepted U.S. aid for the first time in the wake of Hurricane Wilma, reports AP (Oct. 27, 2005):

The U.S. State Department said Cuba had for the first time "in memory" accepted U.S. disaster aid. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said a three-person U.S. assessment team was on stand-by to go to Cuba to see what was needed after Wilma flooded Havana and western shore areas this week. U.S. aid would be funneled through a nongovernmental organization if it were needed, he said, adding that Washington had sent a diplomatic note to Cuba offering help and received a positive response a day later;

Castro, annoyed that Washington was distorting Cuba's intentions, said Havana had only accepted a visit by the assessment team in an effort to build regional cooperation in dealing with the growing danger posed by hurricanes. "We have no objections at all to the three officials visiting us, to know their assessment and exchange views on these matters," Castro said. "We won't close the door." Two months earlier the U.S. did not take up Havana's offer to send more than 1,000 doctors and tons of medical supplies to the United States after Hurricane Katrina hit the U.S. Gulf Coast.