WASHINGTON, November 11 (Sputnik) — The United States has yet to approve new regulations and change in the policies of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki said.
"These reports of new regulations and change of [USAID] policy is something that we are still reviewing or discussing internally, so I don't believe any final decision has been made at this point of time," Psaki stated on Monday.
Psaki made the comment while responding to reports that USAID was preparing internal rules to end pro-democracy operations in hostile countries, like the formerly undercover "Cuban Twitter" program. The program, according to media reports, was designed to recruit dissidents.
In response, Psaki, however, said the United States would continue searching for "creative ways to promote positive change in Cuba."
Early this year, USAID Spokesperson Matt Herrick stated that USAID's work in Cuba, including the Twitter program, was in line with US laws.
USAID was founded in 1961 within the State Department to provide developing countries with long-term aid. It has staff employed in over 100 countries and aims to end extreme poverty while furthering America's foreign policy interests, according to the agency's mission statement.
