United States Consul General Denis Coleman yesterday accused Government of fostering economic relations with Cuba and warned it could lead to a deterioration of relations between Bermuda and his country.

Mr. Coleman accused Government in a television interview of breaking a promise last year that its relations with Cuba would only cultural when it agreed to allow a regular charter flight to the Communist Caribbean island.

But Community Affairs Minister Dale Butler maintained last night that Government's dealings with Cuba were strictly cultural and there was nothing Government could do - short of an outright ban - that would stop individual citizens engaging in business with the Caribbean nation.

And Transport Minister and Deputy Premier Ewart Brown said Mr. Coleman should talk to the Governor.

In an interview with VSB TV last night, Mr. Coleman said relations between Bermuda and the US were “not as good as they used to be”.

He said the US was “strongly against” Government's commercial relationship with Cuba.

Government was going against its promise that links would only be cultural, but “now it is fostering economic relationships”, he said.

“We do feel it is like sticking a finger in our eye.”

Mr. Coleman likened diplomatic relationships to wells of water which could be drained.

He said he hoped the well would not run dry but that signing the memorandum of cultural understanding with the Caribbean country last year drained the well, and “fostering economic links” were draining it further.

Mr. Coleman added that business and airline links to Cuba could amount to “aiding and abetting” American citizens to break the law.

“At the moment the Government's stand is culture,” said Mr. Butler. “Only the memorandum has been signed, as everybody knows. We have not rushed into spending money. At the moment we've only spent $1,500.”

He added that Mr. Coleman had done a “great job” in expressing his country's concerns but said Government was not fostering economic links with Cuba.

Bermuda does not in any way want to jeopardise its “historic link” with the US, he said.

Dr. Brown had a different response.

“When it comes to foreign affairs the Governor can explain all things. And I refer Mr. Coleman and everybody else to the Governor,” he said.

“I don't think the American Government is any more upset that it is happening from Bermuda than it is that it's happening from Canada, Cayman, the Bahamas, Jamaica, London or Madrid.”

Travellers will be able to fly directly to Cuba from Bermuda on a regular charter organised by Government MP Wayne Perinchief starting in June this year. The charters will originate in Spain and visitors from Europe will be able to spend ten days here after their Cuban sojourn.

But American tourists, who go to Cuba in the thousands from Toronto and other cities, will have to plan carefully in the future.

US Customs agents at Bermuda's airport have already been trained to sniff out people breaking the American travel embargo against the Caribbean nation, according to remarks made last month by the US Treasury Secretary John Snow.

On-site training had been provided to over 500 Customs inspectors, in the United States, he said to a group of Cuban American leaders in Miami.

“We've already trained pre-clearance Customs staff in Bermuda, Nassau and Aruba. The training will assist inspectors in their efforts to detect illegal US tourist travellers to Cuba.

“We must not and we can not have American dollars lining Fidel Castro's pockets and those who would perpetuate his oppressive regime… and enforcement actions by the Department of the Treasury, along with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), are making sure that does not happen,” Mr. Snow said.