Government spokeswoman Aymee Hernandez praised the "goodintentions" of the legislation's promotors, but said foreign media had mistakenly interpreted the move as a historic "relaxing" of the economic sanctions on communist-run Cuba.

"Let's get this straight," she told foreign correspondents in Havana. "What we see here is a cosmetic measure which, far from relaxing it, is in fact strengthening the embargo."

The move, promoted by the US farm lobby and brokered by Republican leaders in Congress, would allow unfettered food and medicines sales to Cuba for the first time since soon after President Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution.

But in final negotiations, anti-Castro lawmakers managed toinclude in the proposal a prohibition on U.S. Official or private funding for the sales, and a specific codification of an existing bar on American tourism on the Caribbean island.

The legislation, which could be voted on within days andhas received President Bill Clinton's provisional blessing, would not affect other restrictions like a six-month ban on ships docking in Cuba from then entering the United States.

"In conclusion, this does not break the legal frameworkthat supports the blockade," Hernandez said, using the Castro government's preferred word to describe the economic sanctions. "On the contrary, it builds it up."Havana would have to pay cash for U.S. Food and medicines,"and you know perfectly well that Cuba is a Third World country," Hernandez noted.

Neither, under the embargo regulations, can Cuba recoupmoney by exporting to the United States, much as it also would like to sell medicines such as its locally-developed vaccines or food such as oranges and guava fruit, she said."If it is approved, it will only raise more obstacles forclean and unconditional trade between Cuba and the United States," Hernandez added. "The problem is not whether we can buy medicines from the United States, but the onerous conditions they impose for purchases."

The spokeswoman also criticised the "anti-democraticmanipulations" during the brokering of the agreement at a late- night meeting in the U.S. Congress.Her comments reinforced the pointedly negative Cubanreaction to what some have hailed as the beginning of the end of the U.S. Embargo, which has failed to dislodge Castro from power and has drawn widespread international opposition.The Cuban response appears to suggest the Castrogovernment, which maintains a state-run economy and holds all but a tiny percentage of the nation's Financial clout, would not move immediately to purchase U.S. Products.

Cuba buoyed by Elian
Rather, buoyed by the return of 6-year-old shipwrecksurvivor Elian Gonzalez, it would step up a political campaign for a greater easing of wider embargo regulations, especially in finance, transportation, two-way trade and travel.Underlining that, the ruling Communist Party daily Granmapublished a communique Thursday pouring scorn on "the news about the 'softening' of the cruel and criminal blockade".

"The mafia and the extreme right establish so manyconditions that they make the trade impossible and they annull the fruits of the tenacious efforts of noble people within and outside the U.S. Congress," it said.

Cuba routinely describes Miami-based anti-Castro CubanAmerican groups as a "mafia" in league with US Ultra- conservative politicians. "Notwithstanding, we express our gratitude to those who have fought and still fight for the end of an absurd, irrational, immoral and evil policy against our people," the communique added.

The harsh public comments confirmed predictions by analyststhe initial Cuban response to the food and medicine sales initiative would likely be more political than commercial.

Cuba currently buys its food and medicine needs fromforeign markets much farther away - and more expensive - than the United States, such as Asia and Europe. US Agricultural and pharmaceutical sector representatives have been visiting the island in growing numbers of late to check out the potential market and establish preliminary contacts.

-- (Reuters)