Eli�n is reunited with his father, Juan Miguel Gonz�lez In its third informational note, the Cuban government announced to the people that the airplane carrying Eli�n was traveling to the Andrews Air Force Base in Washington and that the boy was doing well and was playing with one of the people accompanying him. The note added that at 7:09 a.m., Juan Miguel, his wife and their baby boy left for Andrews to wait for Eli�n. At 9:38 a.m., the plane carrying Eli�n landed and at 9:43 a.m. the long-awaited and emotional reunion between the boy and his father took place, five months and two days after they were separated, without the father's consent, on November 20, 1999. Four minutes after the encounter, Juan Miguel got out of the car that took him to the plane to return to a building on the base, still firmly embracing his son. At around 9 a.m., Juan Miguel's lawyer, Gregory Craig, and the head of the Cuban Interests Section in Washington had left for Andrews Air Force Base, where Eli�n and his father, Juan Miguel's wife and their baby will remain for several hours. Throughout the day, Juan Miguel and Craig will discuss with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) the steps to be taken related to the stay of Juan Miguel and his family in the United States, while the legal process is completed, since according to the ruling issued by the appeals court in Atlanta, the boy cannot leave immediately for Cuba. The note reiterates the importance of avoiding public demonstrations in Cuba, and of the heroic, intelligent and disciplined people of Cuba behaving calmly, with discretion and dignity, in response to this great news. It recommends that we should not forget for one minute that there is still a legal process pending in the United States, imposed by the authorities of that country along with many other arbitrary measures throughout the course of this case involving a boy who was the victim of a shipwreck resulting from an absurd law, and of a great tragedy in which his mother lost her life before his eyes, when he had to float for over 30 hours on an inner tube, followed by a prolonged period of manipulation and abuse for almost five months. The note announced that the need to fight for Eli�n's well-being has not ended, but that the turnover of the boy to his father is a favorable step toward a just, honorable and correct solution to the problem. The note also explained that when the agreements made today between Juan Miguel and the INS are known, they will be transmitted as soon as possible in what will probably be... http://www.billkath.demon.co.uk/cw/elianis/elianis.html
