Andean bloc offers some asylum

Andean Pact countries agreed Thursday to provide asylum to some of the 10,000 Cubans crammed into Peru's embassy in Havana. Foreign ministers of the pact nations -- Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Peru -- also denounced Cuban President Fidel Castro for his actions in the predicament, which grows worse daily for lack of adequate food and water supplies.

The ministers, meeting under tight security in the Peruvian capital, would not say how many refugees they would accept. They have put out a call to several other nations for help. Spain has acknowledged it is giving careful consideration to the plea. The United States will only take ref ufees who have relatives in the US. Peru has asked the UN high commissioner for refugees to provide assistance. But Cuba, to date, has resisted outside offers of humanitarian aid.