From >Familien Rasmussen >http://home0.inet.tele.dk/pera/ >Cuba SI! >http://w1.1559.telia.com/~u155900388/ >Viden er Magt! - Magten til folket! >http://w1.1559.telia.com/~u155900373/ > >-----Oprindelig meddelelse----- >Fra: Compañero [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] >Sendt: 23. oktober 2000 18:22 >Til: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Emne: Cuba May Cut Phone Links, NY Times, FIU Survey, Fidel to Visit >Venzy... > > >Cuba May Cut Phone Links With U.S. > >.c The Associated Press > > >HAVANA (AP) - Cuba warned on Monday that it could >cut off all telephone communications with the United >States if the U.S. government seizes $58 million in >Cuban funds from AT&T accounts frozen since the 1960s. > >``The government of Cuba reserves the right to adopt >the measures it judges pertinent, including cutting off >all direct and indirect telephone communications >between Cuba and the United States,'' the government >said in a front page editorial in the Communist Party >daily Granma. > >Cuba has cut direct telephone communications between >the two countries in the past, but in recent years has >allowed for indirect communications routed through third >countries, such as Canada. The cutting of all direct and >indirect telecommunications links would make telephone >communications between the two countries impossible. > >Under a recently passed bill that President Clinton has >promised to sign, the frozen funds that Cuba referred >to is to be awarded to the families of three men killed >when their civilian planes were shot down by Cuban >fighter jets in 1996. > >The legislation, part of an anti-crime package, also >would make it easier for the families to collect >$35 million in court-ordered sanctions against Cuba >for withdrawing from a federal lawsuit over Cuba's >liability in the shoot-down. The families of the three >men were awarded $188 million in damages by a >judge in 1997. > >Because of that lawsuit, the Cuban phone company >ETECSA in February 1999 cut most direct telephone >communications with the United States for more than >a year, routing all calls through third countries and >causing only minor disruption to service. >Direct communication was restored in April. > >The three men who were killed, with a Cuban citizen, >were shot down by Cuban fighter jets as their two >civilian planes searched the waters off the island >for rafters. > >The family of the Cuban citizen killed was not >covered by the resulting lawsuit or legislation >because he was not American. > >AP-NY-10-23-00 0944EDT >***************************************************************** >Cuba slaps retaliatory tax on Cuba-US phone calls > >HAVANA, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Cuba, retaliating against >a bill in the U.S. Congress that makes use of frozen >Cuban funds in the United States, on Monday slapped >a 10 percent tax on the cost of telephone calls between >Cuba and the United States. > >The additional tax would increase the communist-ruled >island's income from phone services between the two >countries. It was introduced in a surprise decree signed >by President Fidel Castro and published in the >Communist Party daily Granma. > >Cuba's national phone company, Empresa de >Telecomunicaciones S.A. (ETECSA), a Cuban-Italian >joint venture, would keep the additional funds generated >by the 10 percent tax, which would be charged on every >minute of every phone call between the two countries, >in whatever direction. > >Phone services between the United States and Cuba >are provided by ETECSA and a number of U.S. phone >companies which share the proceeds generated by the >services. > >The text of the Cuban law made clear that the tax was >being introduced in response to legislation passed by >the U.S. Senate earlier this month. The measure would >make Cuban funds frozen in the United States available >to pay compensation to the families of Cuban-American >pilots killed when their two small planes were shot down >by a Cuban MiG fighter in 1996. >******************************************************** >October 23, 2000 > >The Embargo on Cuba: Business and Politics > >To the Editor: > >The Senate has approved a bill easing the embargo >on shipments of food and medicine to Cuba (front >page, Oct. 19), but from the standpoint of farmers, >agribusiness and pharmaceutical companies, it will >be a dud. > >The terms of the bill forbid financing by private and >government sources in the United States, and Cuba >is denied the right to export any commodities here >as a form of payment for its purchases. Fidel Castro >has deemed the bill "humiliating" and has announced >that Cuba will make no purchases under the act. > >The anti-Castro members of Congress and the Cuban >American National Foundation are gleeful about the bill, >which they regard as a victory over those who would >genuinely seek to ease the embargo. The main victims, >aside from the people of Cuba, are the American voters, >who have once again been told that this odious 40-year >embargo is being eased while, in reality, it is being tightened. >DAVID WALD >Santa Clara, Calif., Oct. 19, 2000 > >. > >To the Editor: > >George W. Bush said in the third presidential debate >that he opposed using food as a "diplomatic weapon" >- and the next day he voiced opposition to the Senate >vote easing the food embargo against Cuba (front page, >Oct. 19). While politicians, in their efforts to please all >sides, rely on short voter memory, 24 hours is cutting >it a little short. >TOM MILLER >Oakland, Calif., Oct. 19, 2000 > > >Copyright 2000 The New York Times Company >======================================== > >Date: Fri, Oct 20, 2000, 9:37pm > >Subject: Hope for change in Cuba fading >================= + ================ >Viva Cuba Libre! > >Vive la verdad. > >Dios te lo va a pagar. > >Vive Marti. > >Viva Cristo Rey! > >[Peace and prayers to all from Kev / Cross.] >================ + ================== >Hope for change in Cuba fading >http://www.herald.com/content/today/docs/037988.htm >================ + ================== >Published Friday, October 20, 2000, in the Miami Herald > >Hope for change in Cuba fading > >FIU survey reveals local exiles' views > >BY ANA ACLE >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >================================= >RESULTS OF THE POLL > >The poll, conducted by Florida International University's Cuban >Research >Institute, the Institute for Public Opinion Research and Center >for >Labor Studies, questioned more than 2,500 people from Sept. >20 to Oct. >17: 1,975 local Cubans, 400 local non-Cubans and 400 U.S. >residents. > >For the first time since 1991, the poll included local non- >Cubans >(including Hispanics of other nationalities) and a national >audience. >Interviews were conducted by telephone using random digit >dialing. > >The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points for >the local >Cuban sample and 5 percentage points for other samples. >================================ >STORY TEXT STARTS HERE: > > In the aftermath of the Elián >González case, more Cuban exiles than ever before believe >there will >never be major political change in Cuba, according to a poll >released >Thursday by Florida International University. > >While 33 percent of local Cuban exiles said they foresee >change on the >island within 2 to 5 years, a surprising 28 percent said change >will >never occur -- a significant increase from the 9 percent who >answered >the question that way in 1991. > >``We have an exhausted exile community out there that is >searching for >reasons to maintain the ideals and dreams,´´ said Guillermo >Grenier, >director of FIU´s Center for Labor Research and Studies. The >exile >view contrasts with the national point of view, where a majority >of >those polled said they expect political change within a >decade. Only 12 >percent of the national audience said they expect things to >remain the >same in Cuba. > >The poll, conducted every odd year since 1991 except for >1999, is >specifically designed to measure the attitudes of the local >Cuban-American community about U.S.-Cuba policy and how >those attitudes >impact Miami-Dade County. > >This year's results show a softening of views among local >Cubans on >specific issues regarding U.S.-Cuba policy, such as allowing >medicine >sales to the island, but a nearly monolithic view on issues such >as the >Elián González case. > >The Elián case directly impacted exiles' pessimistic views on >any >foreseeable political change in Cuba. It also created a >backlash against >the Democratic Party. An overwhelming majority of exiles said >they would >vote for George W. Bush in the November presidential >election. Three >years ago, 34 percent of exiles said they voted for President >Bill >Clinton. > >``More than anything else, the case of Elián has focused the >energy of >the Cuban community,´´ Grenier said. ``This and other studies >show >the diversity of the Cuban community. But I must admit, given >that >diversity, I have never seen a community behave in such a >monolithic >fashion as it did around the Elián affair.´´ > >Frustration about Cuba's reluctance to embrace democratic >changes showed >throughout the poll. Most local Cubans favored a U.S. invasion >or >military intervention of Cuba, a move strongly opposed by >other locals >and the national audience. > >The majority of those polled overwhelmingly supported human >rights >groups inside Cuba. >Local Cubans acknowledged the embargo was not working >but, in an >apparent contradiction, overwhelmingly favored tightening it >anyway. >More than half said they would continue to prohibit allowing >U.S. >companies to do business with the island. > >The exceptions: More than half of the exiles said they favored >selling >medicine and food to Cuba, establishing dialogue and >permitting >unrestricted travel to the island. > >``The [embargo] is a policy that´s hard to wipe off the screen,´´ >Grenier said. ``There are contradictions in the community >because both >[sides] want to try anything and many things.´´ > >FIU experts believe those changes in attitudes come from >recent arrivals >(after 1984) and the first generation of Cubans born in the >United >States. Both groups tend to be more willing to try new ways of >making >changes on the island. > >For example, 52 percent of those born here favor continuing >the embargo >while 49 percent favor stopping it. Of those who arrived after >1984, 47 >percent favor its continuance and 53 percent say it should be dropped. > >``Almost no one in the group that arrived after 1984 and those born in >the United States feel change will happen right away,´´ said Hugh >Gladwin, FIU´s director of the Institute for Public Opinion Research. > >Neither side feels the other is listening. Local Cubans feel that >opinions voicing stronger opposition to Fidel Castro are falling on deaf >ears, while non-Cubans say the same about opinions supporting open >relations. > >In the case of the Elián custody fight, everyone agreed that the case >hurt the Cuban-American community -- even though the groups differ on >the outcome. Local Cubans still believe the boy should have stayed in >this country, while non-Cubans locally and others polled nationally said >the U.S. government should have acted sooner. > >Regarding the Elián case, 46 percent of local Cubans disapprove of >Janet Reno and 31 percent disapprove of Clinton. Twenty-six percent of >local non-Cubans disapprove of the Miami relatives and 21 percent >disapprove of Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas. > >The majority of all locals said that, despite the differences, relations >within the community stayed the same (60 percent of Cubans and 54 >percent of non-Cubans). In contrast, 31 percent of Cubans and 37 percent >of non-Cubans said relations have worsened. Nine percent in each said >relations were better. > >To see all of the poll questions, go to www.fiu.edu/orgs/ipor/cuba2000 > > >Copyright 2000 Miami Herald >================ + ================== >Please help support Antiwar.com at http://Antiwar.com; and >'Spirit FM' >Catholic Christian radio (90.5-FM, Tampa, Fla. USA and 88.3- >FM Lecanto, >Fla.) at http://www.spiritfm905.com; and the Global Network >Against >Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space at >http://www.space4peace.org >******************************************************* >Venezuelan opposition deplores red carpet for Castro > >CARACAS, Oct 20 (Reuters) - A visit by Cuban President >Fidel Castro to Venezuela next week stirred anger on Friday >as opposition legislators protested plans for the veteran >Communist leader to address the National Assembly. > >Castro will arrive in Venezuela on Oct. 26 for a four-day >state visit, his first to the oil-rich South American nation in >40 years. Opposition congressmen spoke strongly against >a motion to hold a special welcoming session for the Cuban >delegation on Oct. 27, a move approved by the government- >controlled legislature on Thursday. > >"They are trying to place Fidel Castro in a privileged position >...I don't agree with that, because for me Castro is a tyrant," >opposition congressman Leopoldo Martinez told local Union >Radio. > >Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, an overwhelmingly >popular left-leaning "revolutionary," is an outspoken admirer >of Castro's regime. His support for Cuba has raised alarm >among the country's small middle and upper classes. > >"Fidel is not the voice of the Cuban people," said legislator >Liliana Hernandez during a fiery debate Thursday. "I do not >welcome dictators to this Assembly." > >Foreign Minister Jose Vicente Rangel accused opposition >politicians of living in Venezuela's past, and said that any >legislator who did not approve of the ceremony did not >have to attend. > >"This has no relation to what is happening in the world... >when the United States has practically lifted its trade >embargo, there are still people here who have the >embargo mentality," he told journalists. > >RESOLUTION SPEAKS OF FREEDOM > >The text of a resolution drafted by the government to >welcome Castro drew parallels between Chavez's >political idol, 19th-century Venezuelan independence >hero Simon Bolivar, and the apostle of Cuban >independence, Jose Marti. > >"There are historical links between Cuba and Venezuela >as nations which have helped to realise the aspirations >of freedom and independence of the people of >Latin America," the resolution read. > >The resolution also spoke of the determination of both >countries to strengthen their economic and cultural links. > >Chavez has said he will include Cuba within the Caracas >Energy Accord, under which Venezuela agreed on >Thursday to supply 80,000 barrels a day of crude oil >under favourable financing terms to 10 Caribbean and >Central American states. > >Chavez has said he will ask Mexican President-elect >Vicente Fox to offer a similar oil deal to Cuba. > >Energy and Mines Minister Ali Rodriguez said Friday the >government was studying the possibility of selling heavy >oil technology to Cuba to allow it to use its own crudes to >generate electricity rather than having to import costly fuels. >******************************************************************* >***Cuba Information Access *** >The current events in La Republica de Cuba... >Where else are you going to get it ? >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >-------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~> >40% off fares on >the best airlines >at Hotwire. >http://click.egroups.com/1/9753/3/_/22961/_/972410625/ >---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> > >Knowledge is Power! >Elimination of the exploitation of man by man >http://www.egroups.com/group/pttp/ >POWER TO THE PEOPLE! > >Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Change Delivery Options: >http://www.egroups.com/mygroups > > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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