WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos met
                  a top aide to President Bill Clinton on Friday trying to work out a
                  U.S.-Cuban dispute jeopardising their fledgling "baseball diplomacy."

                  Angelos met U.S. National Security Adviser Sandy Berger at the White
                  House for about 40 minutes. Angelos left afterward without commenting to
                  reporters.

                  The United States wants to make sure proceeds from any games between
                  the American League Orioles and Cuba's national team does not benefit the
                  Communist-run government of Fidel Castro.

                  The White House wants game proceeds to go to a nongovernmental charity
                  in Cuba, while Havana says it wants to send profits to Central American
                  victims of Hurricane Mitch.

                  A Clinton administration official said Berger restated U.S.

                  opposition to letting the proceeds go to Castro's government and urged
                  Angelos to continue his discussions with the Cuban government.

                  But the official expressed a willingness to be flexible, saying it was a
                  possibility the proceeds could go to the hurricane victims if it could be
                  guaranteed.

                  "At some point we may need to look to see if there is an alternative as long
                  as it's a charitable cause," said the official. "We're reasonable people."

                  Angelos visited Cuba earlier this month and told Berger about his talks with
                  Cuban officials. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said
                  Angelos expressed some frustration on his discussions with Cuba.

                  For three years, Angelos has wanted the Orioles to play Cuba's top team in
                  hopes of improving relations between the two countries.

                  Both nations share a passion for baseball, which made its way to Cuba from
                  the United States in the 19th century, years before the U.S. National
                  League's founding in 1876.

                  Two games between the Orioles and the Cuban team tentatively have been
                  set for March 28 at Havana's Latin American stadium, and April 3 at
                  Baltimore's Camden Yards.

                  The Clinton administration allowed the Orioles to visit and negotiate with
                  Havana as part of a Jan. 5 package of adjustments to the long-standing U.S.
                  economic embargo against Cuba.

                  Angelos told the Baltimore Sun that proceeds from the Cuban game should
                  go to Cuba, while profits from the U.S. game should go to the Orioles.

                  "We're willing to contribute to a worthwhile cause, subject to the approval of
                  our government," the newspaper quoted him as saying.

                  "There never was any requirement that the net proceeds go to a particular
                  charitable organisation or group of organisations functioning in Cuba,"
                  Angelos said. "Nor was there ever any insistence or intention by the Cubans
                  that any proceeds be distributed to the Cuban government or (Cuban)
                  governmental agency."

                  If an agreement can be worked out, the Orioles would be the first Major
                  League team to play in Cuba since the Brooklyn Dodgers visited in 1947.

                   Copyright 1999 Reuters.