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STATEMENT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO

"Today, I met with Elian's father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez -- a man who expressed in a very clear and a very heartfelt manner his sincere desire to have his son returned to him as soon as possible. He obviously loves Elian very much. All you had to do is look at him, and see him, to see how much he loves this little boy.

"The meeting was only with a very small group of people. Mr. Gonzalez was joined by his wife and their 6 month old baby boy and his lawyer, Gregory Craig. I was joined by INS Commissioner Doris Meissner, Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder, a member of his staff, and an official U.S. government translator. No Cuban officials were present.

"During the hour-long meeting, Mr. Gonzalez and I had a very open and honest discussion. Throughout, he repeated what he has said time and time again -- he wants his son back.

"Four months ago, Elian Gonzalez came to our shores after his mother perished at sea. While his immigration status was being resolved, he was placed in the temporary care of his great uncle who lives in Miami. As with any similar arrangement, Elian's temporary custody was conditioned on the understanding that the care-providers will abide by the instructions of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

"In December, INS officials -- on two separate occasions -- interviewed Mr. Gonzalez in Cuba. Again, no Cuban officials were present. Both times, Mr. Gonzalez asserted his plea to have his child returned to him -- and he said he had no desire to live in the United States.

"I wholeheartedly reject Cuba's system of government. Mr. Gonzalez and I do not share the same political beliefs.

"But it is not our place to punish a father for his political beliefs or for where he wants to raise his child. Indeed, if we were to start judging parents on the basis of their political beliefs, we would change the concept of family for the rest of time.

"After meeting with Mr. Gonzalez in Cuba, INS officials also met with relatives in Miami. We wanted to give the relatives an opportunity to provide any information they could that could be relevant to the decision.

"In January, after the interviews, the INS Commissioner announced her decision that, not only did the father speak for the son, but that the father's wishes were indeed to have his son with him.

"From that moment, nothing prevented the United States government from immediately taking action to reunite the father and son. There was no court order. No stay. No injunction. But instead of moving hastily, we gave the relatives in Miami a chance to challenge our decision in federal court. A federal court sustained our judgement, stating 'each passing day is another day lost between Juan Gonzalez and his son.'

"Thereafter, we again remained willing to postpone the reunion because we wanted to give the relatives every chance to argue their case in the federal appellate court. All we asked for in return was a pledge that -- at the end of the day-- when the appeals process had run its course, the Miami relatives would turn over Elian to his father voluntarily. They were unwilling to provide us with that assurance.

"For the past several weeks we have engaged in discussions with the relatives to try to come to a cooperative arrangement for reuniting Elian with his father. But instead of discussing how Elian should be reunited, the attorneys for the relatives continued to demand that we re-visit the issue of whether Elian should be reunited. That is not what the law provides.

"It has been nearly twelve weeks since the Commissioner's decision, and four months since Elian was found at sea. It is time for this little boy, who has been through so much, to be with his father. The relatives say it would be wrenching to take him from the home. Four months is no substitute for six years for a father who has had such an important role in raising such a wonderful boy.

"The law is very clear. Clearly, a child who has lost his mother belongs with his sole surviving parent, especially one with whom the child has shared such a close and continuous relationship with his son.

"I understand and respect with all my heart the deep-seated beliefs which the Cuban exile community feels on this subject. Cuba is a repressive society. A society ruled by a dictator from whom thousands have fled. Over the past four decades, Cubans have come to the United States to seek freedom and to seek a better way of life. As a result, Miami has prospered and grown. It is a wonderful city which I love very, very much.

"I know most people within the Cuban community [who] differ with my decision [...] have the best interest of Elian at heart. Many of them risked their lives to come to this country. They want him to have the opportunity that they have had. But in the end I believe that they also understand that this is a nation of laws by which all must abide. And it is a nation whose law and foundation recognize that there is a bond, a special, wonderful, sacred bond between a father and a son-one that I intend to uphold.

"Yesterday, Mr. Gonzalez came to our country to be reunited with his son. Today, we move forward with that reunification.

"Early next week, we will give instructions to the relatives on when and where Elian is to be turned over to his father. And at that time, the INS will formally transfer parole care to the father.

"By letter today we are asking the relatives to meet on Monday with two eminent psychiatrists and a distinguished psychologist to determine how the transfer can take place with as little disruption for Elian as possible. The three experts have informed us that the best way to proceed is to effect the reunification promptly. Monday's consultation will assist us, not in determining whether the transfer should occur, but how it will occur to cause the least disruption possible.

"I have been in California, in Chicago, in Chile, in Costa Rica, in these past four months. I have been in my own home town and I have been in Washington. This case has struck the heart and soul of the world.

"I urge everybody involved to move forward to effect this reconciliation and reunification as soon as possible. Elian deserves the very, very best and the best we can give him for he has been through so much. In his own way, rather than tear us apart, he has brought us together to understand the strength of the human spirit. Let us not disappoint him."

**The bracketed changes reflect the sentence as written, not as read.

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