US lawmakers say it's time to restore staff at Cuba embassy
Source: Associated Press
Updated 1:56 pm, Wednesday, February 21, 2018
HAVANA (AP) U.S. lawmakers visiting Cuba urged the State Department on Wednesday to restore embassy staff pulled from the country last year in response to mysterious ailments among diplomats and their families.
The visit by six Democratic members of the Senate and House of Representatives comes as the State Department decides whether to send its personnel back to the island. A decision is expected by March 4.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the symptoms, which included nausea, dizziness and headaches, resulted from "targeted attacks" and cut embassy staff by 60 percent in September.
Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy and other members of the delegation told reporters in Havana that Cuban officials have cooperated with U.S. authorities in an investigation into the cause of symptoms and that the cut to embassy staff only hurts bilateral relations.
Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/world/article/US-lawmakers-say-it-s-time-to-restore-staff-at-12630593.php