The U.S. State Department said Monday it regretted that Cuba rejected its offer of up to $5 million in relief aid for the victims of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Washington “informed the Cuban government [on Saturday] that the U.S. is committed to providing up to $5 million in relief assistance for Cuban hurricane victims,” said spokesman Sean McCormack. The U.S. government “could fly emergency relief supplies to Cuba as soon as they, the Cuban government, authorize such assistance,” McCormack told reporters. However, on Sunday “the Cuban government informed us that they would not accept a donation from the United States,” McCormack said. “Our reply was that we regret that Cuban authorities have not accepted this offer of humanitarian assistance for the Cuban people.”
