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subject: Radio Havana Feb 19. Cuba seeks Oil self-sufficiency
Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit
Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 19 February 2001
.
*FOREIGN MINISTER FELIPE PEREZ ROQUE ARRIVES IN MALAYSIA
*CUBA'S PRESIDENT MEETS IN HAVANA WITH DAVID ROCKEFELLER
*FIDEL INAUGURATES 15 SCHOOLS FOR TRAINING ART AND CULTURE
INSTRUCTORS
*CUBA'S HABANO CIGAR FESTIVAL GETS UNDERWAY IN HAVANA
*MEXICAN SOLIDARITY MEETING CONDEMNS WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE
*THOUSANDS PROTEST LATEST ATTACK AGAINST IRAQ IN DOWNTOWN BAGHDAD
*US-BRITISH ATTACK AGAINST IRAQ: MORE OF THE SAME
*WASHINGTON AND TEL AVIV BEGIN JOINT MILITARY MANEUVERS
*FAKE ATTORNEYS RIP OFF UNDOCUMENTED MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS
*Viewpoint: CUBA SEEKS OIL SELF SUFFICIENCY
.
*FOREIGN MINISTER FELIPE PEREZ ROQUE ARRIVES IN MALAYSIA
Kuala Lumpur, February 19 (RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez
Roque has arrived in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, beginning
a two-week tour of five Asian countries. During his visit to the
region, Cuba's top diplomat is also scheduled to travel to Singapore,
Vietnam, China and Japan.
Newspapers in Malaysia highlighted the Cuban foreign minister's two-
day visit, pointing out that Perez Roque will meet with high-
government officials, including his Malaysian counterpart, Syed Hamid
Albar, and the head of government, Mahathir Mohamad.
Among the issues on the agenda during his visit to the Asian nation
is the ongoing work of the Group of 77 and the Movement of Non-
Aligned Nations. Both Cuba and Malaysia are prominent members of the
Third World group of nations.
*CUBA'S PRESIDENT MEETS IN HAVANA WITH DAVID ROCKEFELLER
Havana, February 19 (RHC)--Cuban President Fidel Castro held a
lengthy meeting on Saturday with U.S. banker David Rockefeller who
was heading a delegation from the Washington-based Foreign Relations
Council.
The delegation was made up of 19 bankers, business executives and
former U.S. diplomats. David Rockefeller functions as honorary
president of the private U.S. organization. Foreign Relations Council
president, Peter Peterson, on Sunday told the press in Havana that
the group's visit with the Cuban leader was "very interesting" and he
said the entire delegation was impressed by Castro's intelligence and
expansive knowledge, saying at moments he seemed like a computer -
especially on national issues. Peterson also expressed the group's
admiration for the high quality of Cuba's education and healthcare
and the government's dedication to Cuban youth.
The Foreign Relations Council delegation also met with a variety of
writers, intellectuals, business executives and academics with whom
they discussed the current situation in Cuba.
David Rockefeller told the Havana press conference that it was a
great pleasure for him to return to Cuba after 42 years, saying that
he had visited Cuba on many occasions before l959.
Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, William Rogers, told the
press in Havana that after his visit with Fidel Castro and other
Cuban leaders, he is convinced that an understanding between the two
countries is possible. The Foreign Relations Council is a U.S. think
tank, which was founded in l921. Its main mission is to make foreign
policy recommendations to U.S. governments and publish the magazine,
"Foreign Affairs," which is one of the most influential in the United
States.
*FIDEL INAUGURATES 15 SCHOOLS FOR TRAINING ART AND CULTURE
INSTRUCTORS
Havana, February 19 (RHC)--Over the weekend, Cuban President Fidel
Castro officially inaugurated 15 new innovative schools that are
training students to become art instructors in all areas of culture.
The official ceremony was held in the Manuel Ascunce Domenech School
in the central province of Villa Clara.
The Cuban leader called the new schools "seeds of gold" in which it
will be possible to develop student's artistic capabilities which
they will then transmit to thousands of children, young people and
adults, the breadth and width of the island.
The new network of schools, operating since September in each of
Cuba's 14 provinces and the special municipality of the Isle of
Youth, offers a four-year program to 4,057 youngsters who have
completed ninth grade. The purpose is to fill a deficit of this type
of instructor, which has accumulated over the years in a wide
spectrum of Cuban cultural and educational institutions. In addition
to their regular coursework, students study Spanish, Literature,
History, Political Culture and Appreciation and Art History. Each
pupil specializes in Music, Fine Arts, Theater or Dance and graduates
with a Bachelor of Humanities and Instructor of Arts degree.
Graduates will go to work in schools, cultural centers, museums and
other community cultural institutions throughout the country. The new
schools are in line with the government policy of expanding knowledge
of the arts and culture to the entire population through various
means, including a series of nationally televised courses.
*CUBA'S HABANO CIGAR FESTIVAL GETS UNDERWAY IN HAVANA
Havana, February 19 (RHC)--Cigar lovers from around the globe are
gathered in the land of the world's finest tobacco for the Third
International Habano Festival which gets underway this evening in the
Cuban capital.
Old Havana's colonial Cathedral Square will welcome more than
500 international personalities and lovers of fine tobacco for the
inauguration ceremony.
The five-day event will feature a tobacco fair and a seminar on
topics related to the sales and commercialization of cigars on the
Internet and one on Cuba's experience in producing the world-famous
cigars.
Participants will also have the opportunity to visit Cuban
tobacco plantations and factories in Pinar del Rio, Havana, and Villa
Clara provinces. The meeting concludes on Friday with an exclusive
gala dinner in the world-famous Tropicana cabaret in Havana.
*MEXICAN SOLIDARITY MEETING CONDEMNS WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE
Guadalajara, February 19 (RHC)-- A meeting gathering some 400
delegates from 10 Mexican states, closed on Sunday in Guadalajara
with a resolution condemning Washington's blockade against Cuba.
The two-day Sixth National Solidarity Meeting discussed the
current situation in Cuba and ended with a decision to strongly
reject what it called the "unjust" policy of the United States
against Cuba. A final document also stressed that the organization
will work to lift Washington's economic blockade against Cuba; a
measure that violates international law and self-determination. The
statement also condemns extra-territorial U.S. anti-Cuba laws like
the Helms-Burton and the Torricelli Laws.
*THOUSANDS PROTEST LATEST ATTACK AGAINST IRAQ IN DOWNTOWN BAGHDAD
Baghdad, February 19 (RHC)--- Tens of thousands of protesters jammed
the streets of downtown Baghdad on Monday for the third consecutive
day -- protesting the latest attack by U.S. and British warplanes
against that Arab nation.
In the city of Saddam, located north of the Iraqi capital,
demonstrators burned U.S., British and Israeli flags -- shouting
slogans denouncing U.S. President George W. Bush, who ordered the
attack last Friday. Students took to the streets of numerous cities
in Iraq, affirming their loyalty to the government and calling for a
Holy War against Washington and Tel Aviv. In related news, the Iraqi
government has sent a letter to United Nations Secretary General Kofi
Annan. The official letter calls on the UN to formally condemn the
latest aggressions against the sovereignty of the Arab nation and
urgently requests guarantees that similar actions will not
be repeated.
*US-BRITISH ATTACK AGAINST IRAQ: MORE OF THE SAME
United Nations, February 19 (RHC)-- Seventy-two hours after the U.S.
and British attack against Iraq, the United Nations has still not
issued a statement either supporting or opposing Washington's
actions.
Political observers noted that UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is
unusually silent -- and there have been no public calls for convening
the UN Security Council. Two permanent members of the Security
Council -- China and Russia -- have expressed their opposition to the
attack, calling Friday's bombing of the Baghdad area "a violation of
international law."
Friday evening, a total of 24 fighter-bombers hit near the capital of
Iraq -- killing at least three civilians and wounding another 30.
According to news agencies reporting from the Arab nation, several of
the victims were children.
A number of countries have officially issued statements condemning
the attack. The Arab League -- composed of 22 Arab nations -- also
strongly denounced the bombing raids by U.S. and British warplanes.
But many observers say that this latest aggression against Iraq is
being seen as yet another in a series of attacks against Baghdad --
and that international public opinion has become accustomed to the
arrogance and belligerence of Washington and London.
*WASHINGTON AND TEL AVIV BEGIN JOINT MILITARY MANEUVERS
Tel Aviv, February 19 (RHC)-- U.S. and Israeli army units have begun
a four-day joint military exercise in the Negev Desert, located in
southern Israel. According to statements issued in both Washington
and Tel Aviv, the maneuvers will run until Thursday.
The joint exercises include the testing of Patriot anti-missile
batteries, designed to intercept incoming Iraqi, Scud missiles. The
U.S. manufactured Patriot missiles were used primarily during the
Gulf War ten years ago. Many experts reported that the anti-missile
system had a low rate of effectiveness and it is believed that there
is renewed concern that Iraq may take offensive actions to defend
their territory from attack.
Taking part in the joint U.S.-Israeli military exercises is an elite
unit of the U.S. Army, specializing in ballistic missiles and anti-
missile technology.
*FAKE ATTORNEYS RIP OFF UNDOCUMENTED MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS
Houston, February 19 (RHC)-- The Mexican Consulate in Houston, Texas
has distributed over 100,000 fliers, warning immigrants to beware of
attorneys who promise to set them up with legal residency.
The decision to issue the advisory comes after a growing number of
cases have been reported of lawyers who insist that immigration laws
recently changed, allowing those without documentation to legalize
their status. The rumor of a general amnesty in the United States for
illegal immigrants is nothing more than that -- a rumor.
According to Marco Dosal, a spokesperson for the Mexican Consulate in
the U.S. State of Texas, many immigrants are falling for the line and
have placed themselves in a vulnerable position -- finding themselves
to be victims of fraud.
An undetermined number of undocumented Mexican immigrants have paid
people enormous sums of money, thinking that these so-called
attorneys can give them legal status in the United States. The
"attorneys" end up leaving town, taking with them the money collected
from unsuspecting immigrants.
The Mexican Consulate warns that this practice is especially
becoming prevalent in Texas -- where hundreds have been left
penniless by fake attorneys, promising something that they cannot
deliver.
*Viewpoint: CUBA SEEKS OIL SELF SUFFICIENCY
Under pressure from the U.S. imposed economic blockade that has
lasted over 40 years, Cuba has been able to develop, in a relatively
short time, the extraction and refining of crude oil drilled on the
island.
Although part of this oil is contaminated with sulfur, the island has
been able to provide 70 percent of its oil needs. The remainder now
comes from a new accord with Venezuela.
During the worst years of the special period, Cuba was unable to keep
up with demand and there were many lengthy power cuts due to lack of
fuel. With foreign oil company investment in improved extraction
technology it is estimated that this year Cuba will be able to
produce four billion barrels of crude. The nation's electricity grid
has consequently been extended to the remotest part of the island and
power cuts are few and far between these days.
Authorities have also been able to extend gas to the many buildings
in the cities that don't have the service. A process of gasification
is going on which will ultimately save Cubans from having to seek out
and transport bottled gas back to their homes, as is currently the
case in many districts.
All in all, the future of Cuba's self-sufficient energy industry
looks very good -an important gain for a country that was in such an
economic crisis a decade ago and that seeks to maintain independence
from multinational oil corporations -- unlike most of the rest of the
planet.
(c) 2001 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News.All rights reserved."JC
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rhc-eng-14127 2001-Feb-19 23:00:02 " JC
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