Elian's father asks Miami relatives to end court battle

WASHINGTON -- Juan Miguel Gonzalez asked his Miami relatives Thursday to end their court battle to keep 6-year-old Elian in this country and allow father and son to "finally go back home together" to Cuba.

Speaking hours after the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with him in the 6-month-long custody battle, Gonzalez said, "A child simply should be with his parents, always with his parents. As the father, I should be speaking on behalf of my son."

His lawyer, Gregory Craig, was more direct. "It is now time to end this chapter of Elian's life and let this family go in peace."

He noted that the Miami relatives who cared for Elian after he was rescued from the Atlantic say they love the boy and are concerned about his welfare. "Their love and their concern are best expressed today by calling a halt to this legal battle," he said.

He urged them to accept the court ruling with "grace and with dignity."

In its ruling, the three-judge panel said the Immigration and Naturalization Service's decision that only a parent can act for a 6-year-old child in immigration matters was a reasonable one. It said that principle held even if the parent was in another country and the child was in the United States.

It gave the Miami relatives 14 days to appeal.

Attorney General Janet Reno, who welcomed the ruling, said that if Miami relatives don't appeal during that time, the earliest Elian could leave the United States would be seven days later -- or 21 days in all.

It was likely, however, that the Miami relatives would appeal, leaving any timetable in doubt.

"Elian remains in his father's care, but he and his family will not immediately depart from the United States," Reno said at a press conference.

In Berlin, President Clinton, said he supported the Justice Department's position that the father was the person "best suited" to speak for Elian.

"As I've said before, this is a case about the importance of family and the bond between a father and son," Clinton said in a written statement issued in Berlin, the second stop on his weeklong European tour.

Later, he said, "I think the Justice Department and the attorney general did the right thing, and I'm very pleased that the 11th Circuit upheld their decision today."

In Washington, Gonzalez said through an interpreter, "I am very happy today for the decision made by the court. It's what I've always felt from the deepest part of my heart."

He said that in the time since he was reunited with Elian, "We have been very happy together. ... I love him very much and I would hope that this would come to an end, and we can finally go back home together with my whole family and that this delay will not continue unnecessarily."

Speaking with Gonzalez outside his Washington law offices, Craig noted that Thursday's ruling marked the third time a court had said Elian belongs with his father.

"Make no mistake about what happened today," he said. "This case has been decided, and in our view there is longer any doubt about the ultimate outcome."

Departing from his native Spanish, Gonzalez said in English, "I want to thank the American people. Thank you."

Associated Press Writer Sandra Martinez contributed to this report.