Cuba cuts off power to US diplomatic mission

Cuba cuts off power to U.S. diplomatic mission

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Cuban government cut off electricity to the U.S.
diplomatic mission in Havana a week ago, and U.S. requests for power to
be restored have gone unanswered, the U.S. State Department said Monday.

The facility has been operating with generator power.

Work at the mission continues, including interviews of refugees and
outreach programs for the Cuban people, State Department spokesman Sean
McCormack said.

"I would just say that the bullying tactics of the Castro regime aren't
going to work," he added.

He said Cuban authorities also reduce the availability of water to the
mission from time to time.

McCormack said he suspects that the decision to cut the power was in
response to efforts by the mission to provide information to the Cuban
people.

"That, of course, is not something that the Castro regime takes kindly
to," he said.

In January, President Fidel Castro complained about use of the U.S.
mission to carry human rights messages to passers-by on outdoor
electronic signs.

Castro called the signs provocations.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/06/12/cuba.us.ap/index.html?section=cnn_latest