U.S. fears Cuba oil drilling, Mexico suggests talks
By Tom Doggett Tom Doggett – 39 mins ago
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A top U.S. official said on Thursday they were concerned about Cuba opening its offshore waters to oil drilling, while Mexico, which has a boundary dispute with the island nation, said the three countries should try to work out differences.
"For us it is an issue of concern," said U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar about drilling in Cuban waters. "Obviously, because it's located 60 miles off the coast of Florida ... it's an issue that we're monitoring carefully."
In light of the BP Plc oil spill nearly a year ago, the U.S. is now worried that Cuba is unable to ensure its offshore drilling will be safe. Lax U.S. government oversight was faulted in the BP disaster.
Salazar spoke to reporters during a break at a day-long international conference sponsored by the U.S. Interior Department on best safety practices for drilling in deep waters.
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110420/pl_nm/us_usa_cuba_drilling