CUBA THREATENS ANOTHER BOATLIFT

Cuba has told the State Department that it might unleash anew wave of refugeesin retaliation against GOP efforts to tighten the three-decade-old U.S. embargo on the country. The Washington Post reported today that Cuba told U.S. diplomats that itsrefugee flowwould become "difficult to control" if Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) succeeds with a bill that would punishforeign companies that do business with Cuba.TIME Miami bureau chief Cathy Boothsays the Helms bill is expected to pass, but Clinton Administration officials plan to forestall a Cuban crisis by promising not to enforce it. Administration officials said today that Havana is striking a tough stance in part becausetalks with the U.S. resume next weekin New York.