LINDA STOUFFER, CNN ANCHOR: Last night, a deal was reached to reunite Elian Gonzalez with his father, but a short time later the child's great uncle, Lazaro Gonzalez, abruptly called it off. So just when it looked like things were going to work out, the reunion is now on hold. CNN's Eric Horng has the latest from Miami.</s>ERIC HORNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Demands, counter demands and false starts this morning in Miami. A planned family meeting in Washington between Elian, his father and Miami relatives now apparently canceled as the government continues to press for a reunion between father and son. (voice-over): It was the announcement some people involved in this custody battle had waited for, Elian's Miami relatives would bring the 6-year-old to a neutral site in Washington for a private meeting with his father. But just hours after the announcement, the boy's great uncle, Lazaro, told a crowd of supporters the meeting was off.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He said that Elian does not want to go to Washington, that he ripped up the picture when he saw his father in the newspaper.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're afraid that if Elian goes back to Washington that he is not going to come back, that it was all a big trick of the INS, that once he gets him to Washington, from there he is going to go back to Cuba.</s>HORNG: The INS says it does not consider the matter closed and will continue to work to secure a meeting between Elian's Miami relatives and his father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez. Meantime, Justice Department officials say they continue to work on a letter to Lazaro, instructing him where and when to turn over the boy. (on camera): If the family meeting does not happen, that letter could go out as early as today. Justice Department officials still hoping to reunite father and son this week. In Miami, I'm Eric Horng. Now, back to you.</s>STOUFFER: OK, thank you, Eric. Search CNN.com CNNSI.com CNNmoney.com The Web
Elian Gonzalez Case: Lazaro Gonzalez Calls Off Deal to Reunite Boy with Father