Radio Havana Cuba-29 March 2001
Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit
Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 29 March 2001
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*CUBA, SOUTH AFRICA ISSUE JOINT COMMUNIQUE ON RELATIONS AND GLOBAL INJUSTICE
*AS EXPECTED, CZECHS ENDORSE WASHINGTON'S ANTI-CUBAN RESOLUTION IN GENEVA
*UNITED STATES "BLACKMAILS" CZECH REPUBLIC AT UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
*FORMER US DIPLOMATS ANNOUNCE NEW ANTI-BLOCKADE ORGANIZATION
*VENEZUELA SAYS THE TIME IS RIGHT FOR CUBA TO RETURN TO THE OAS
*SENEGAL'S FOREIGN MINISTER CONDEMNS WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA
*FIRST STAGE OF POLIO VACCINATION CAMPAIGN CONCLUDES
*SPANISH HOTEL GROUP SOL MELIA TO INCREASE ITS PRESENCE IN CUBA
*FIRMS FROM A DOZEN COUNTRIES TO PARTICIPATE IN FIRMAR-2001
*CUBA TO REVIVE STEAM LOCOMOTIVES
*WORLD LEADERS SHOCKED AND ANGRY AT US WITHDRAWAL FROM ENVIRONMENTAL PACT
*ZAPATISTAS, MEXICAN GOVERNMENT WIN PRAISE FOR EFFORTS TOWARD PEACE
*Viewpoint: THE CUBA-SOUTH AFRICA COOPERATION ACCORDS
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*CUBA, SOUTH AFRICA ISSUE JOINT COMMUNIQUE ON RELATIONS AND GLOBAL INJUSTICE
Havana, March 29 (RHC)--Cuban President Fidel Castro and visiting South
African President Thabo Mbeki have issued a joint communiqué announcing an
intensification of bilateral relations and questioning the injustice of the
current political and economic world order. Cuba and South Africa have
agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in health through an increase in the
training of medical personnel, the transfer of technology and knowledge and
the development of joint scientific investigation projects.
The two countries have also agreed to develop joint projects in the sphere
of biotechnology, particularly with regards to biopharmaceuticals, cooperate
in the fields of art and culture, and in educational and sports programs.
Both governments emphasized the need to guarantee the South African
population's access to affordable medicines, with Cuba reiterating its
solidarity with South Africa in that nation's legal dispute with western
pharmaceutical transnationals opposing Pretoria's effort to provide low-cost
AIDS medication to the population.
Cuba and South Africa expressed deep concern over the sharp increase in
racism and xenophobia in some countries, coinciding in the importance of the
World Conference Against Racism to be held in Durban, South Africa next
August 31st to September 7th. The two nations insisted on the need to
recognize and accept the injustices of the past -- in reference to the slave
trade.
The Cuban and South African leaders agreed that the benefits of
globalization have not reached the majority of Third World countries,
pointing to the immense burden of the foreign debt and calling for a more
just and equitable international economic order. Finally Havana and Pretoria
came out in favor of the restructuring of the United Nations and
international finance institutions aimed at efficiently contributing to
policies that guarantee sustainable development.
*AS EXPECTED, CZECHS ENDORSE WASHINGTON'S ANTI-CUBAN RESOLUTION IN GENEVA
Havana, March 29 (RHC)--Amid the U.S. government's renewed efforts to
condemn Cuba at the United Nations Human Rights Commission, national Cuban
TV has transmitted details of the case of two citizens from the
CzechRepublic arrested in Cuba last January for promoting Washington's
aggressive policies against the island. With the Czech Republic ostensibly
sponsoring the condemnation of Cuba in Geneva, Cuban mediaoutlets recalled
Wednesday evening that the trip to Cuba of Czechcitizens Ivan Pilip and Jan
Bubenik was organized and financed by theWashington-based, rabidly anti-Cuba
organization Freedom House.
Cuban TV and radio aired a February 5th encounter between Cuban Foreign
Minister Felipe Perez Roque and ambassadors from several European and Latin
American countries -- with the presence of Pilip and Bubenik. Perez Roque
read signed statements from the two Czech citizens, which they publicly
admitted to having freely written and signed, admitting that following
discussions with Cuban authorities while in detention they realized that
they had violated Cuban laws by acting as foreign agents for a U.S.
organization intent on destabilizing Cuba.
When diplomatic representatives present at the gathering questioned the
nature of this Cuban legislation, Perez Roque explained that Cuba is obliged
to use all the legal instruments at its disposal for the defense of a small
country that has been blockaded, that has suffered aggressions and whose
reality has been manipulated for more than 40 years. The Cuban foreign
minister said the Czech Republic, as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization, does not have to worry about a possible military aggression,
is not blockaded and has received abundant development aid from western
nations since the collapse of the European socialist camp. Cuba, said Perez
Roque, does not enjoy that luxury.
*UNITED STATES "BLACKMAILS" CZECH REPUBLIC AT UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
Prague, March 29 (RHC)--The United States is blackmailing its own ally, the
Czech Republic, in the anti-Cuba crusade at the United Nations Human Rights
Commission, according to media outlets in that European nation. Czech news
dailies reported Thursday that Washington is threatening to not support the
holding of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization gathering in 2002 in Prague
if the Czech government insists on maintaining a condemnation of the
blockade against Cuba in its anti-Cuba resolution in Geneva.
When U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell recently rejected the idea of
questioning Washington's blockade, calling it unacceptable, the Czech
Foreign Ministry responded by stating that it's time to subordinate tactics
to principles. Cuba has oftentimes accused the United States of resorting to
pressure and blackmail in its yearly anti-Cuba campaigns at the Human Rights
Commission.
*FORMER US DIPLOMATS ANNOUNCE NEW ANTI-BLOCKADE ORGANIZATION
Washington, March 29 (RHC)--Former diplomats of Republican administrations
in the United States have formed a new organization aimed at lobbying
against what it calls Washington's antiquated Cuba policy. The Cuba Policy
Foundation has challenged the ultra-right wing Cuban-American National
Foundation to a public debate concerning the merits of Washington's blockade
of Cuba.
Former diplomat Sally Grooms Cowal, president of the Cuba Policy Foundation,
stated Wednesday evening that there is a silent majority -- including
Cuban-Americans -- that does not support Washington's positions regarding
Cuba. Cowal, with 23 years of diplomatic experience, was political advisor
for the U.S.'s United Nations Mission during the Ronald Reagan
administration, Assistant Undersecretary of State for Inter-American Affairs
under the George Bush administration of 1988 to 1992, and ambassador to
Trinidad and Tobago during that epoch.
The president of the Foundation's board of directors is William Rogers,
Undersecretary of State for Inter-American Affairs in the Gerald Ford
administration. According to Cowal, the lack of dialogue with Havana is
undermining Washington's principle interests in the Caribbean, which, she
said, are immigration and drug trafficking.
*VENEZUELA SAYS THE TIME IS RIGHT FOR CUBA TO RETURN TO THE OAS
Washington, March 29 (RHC)--The Venezuelan government believes the time has
come to explore the possibility of Cuba regaining full membership in the
Organization of American States.
Venezuela's new OAS representative, Jorge Valero, said in Washington that
changes on the continent and within the organization itself, are signs that
others also feel that Cuba's participation is consistent with the process of
American unity.
At the conclusion of Valero's first speech in the OAS Permanent Council,
the Venezuelan representative told reporters that his country laments the
fact that the government and the people of Cuba are not represented in the
regional forum.
"We believe that the circumstances that determined the absence of Cuba from
the Organization of American States, have concluded," he said. "The era of
confrontations between blocks of power no longer exist."
Cuba was expelled from the OAS in l962 at the insistence of the United
States, which exerted pressure on regional nations to vote against the
island. Only Mexico refused to support the ouster.
Jorge Valero explained that Venezuela is taking up the issue as part of its
foreign policy because it believes that Latin American and Caribbean
integration is of strategic value. "Cuba," he said, "forms part of this
community as demonstrated by its inclusion in various regional integration
organizations."
*SENEGAL'S FOREIGN MINISTER CONDEMNS WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA
Dakar, March 29 (RHC)--Senegal's Foreign Minister, Cheikh Tidiane condemned
Washington's blockade against Cuba and demanded that it be immediately
lifted.
Minister Tidiane headed his country's delegation to the 1st Meeting of the
Senegal-Cuba Mixed Cooperation Commissions that concluded a two-day working
session Wednesday in Dakar, the Senegalese capital.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the two countries signed an agreement that
provides for expanded bilateral cooperation in various economic and social
sectors. Under the agreement, Senegal and Cuba adopted a three-year
cooperation program in trade, health, education, culture, sports and
agriculture. It also provides for further exchange between the two
countries' youth.
With regards to health, Cuba will help improve health care services in the
African nation. The island's authorities have also decided to grant
scholarships to young Senegalese who wish to study psychology, the arts or
sports in Cuba.
The Senegalese foreign minister termed as "very positive" the results of
this first meeting of the mixed cooperation commission. The head of the
Cuban delegation, Government Minister Ricardo Cabrisas, said that the event
reflects both governments' will to expand and strengthen bilateral ties.
*FIRST STAGE OF POLIO VACCINATION CAMPAIGN CONCLUDES
Havana, March 29 (RHC)--The first stage of Cuba's 40th anti-polio
vaccination campaign concluded Thursday with the immunization of nearly one
million children from three days old to three years.
The second phase of this year's vaccination program is scheduled to begin in
April and is aimed at reactivating the doses administered to nearly 155
thousand children under the age of nine.
The Cuban vaccination program has eradicated various diseases that can be
deadly in other parts of the world among them, poliomyelitis, measles,
rubella and mumps.
All Cubans under the age of 20 and other risk groups of all ages are now
protected against hepatitis B, which helps prevent liver cancer and other
liver disorders.
*SPANISH HOTEL GROUP SOL MELIA TO INCREASE ITS PRESENCE IN CUBA
Havana, March 29 (RHC)--The Spanish hotel group Sol Melia will significantly
increase its presence in Cuba with the opening of new hotels in various
tourist sites throughout the Caribbean Island.
Considered among the world's top tourist firms, Sol Melia currently operates
20 tourist facilities in Cuba.
Upon presenting the Melia Cienfuegos project in that southern Cuban city,
Development and Lodging Director in Cuba, Francisco Campos, announced that
the group also has plans to mount a new project in the southern city of
Cienfuegos.
Sol Melia will inaugurate two new tourist sites this year: the Trip
Peninsula Varadero, to be inaugurated this summer in the world famous
Varadero Beach resort and the Trip Cayo Santa Maria, which should begin
operations in northern Villa Clara province by the end of this year.
The new projects of the Spanish hotel chain firm in Cuba also include a
900-room hotel in Eastern Holguin province and the Maria Aguilar Club hotel
on the southern coast of Sancti Spiritus province.
Sol Melia has also plans to open a new hotel in Havana and another one in
Cayo Largo, south of central Matanzas province.
*FIRMS FROM A DOZEN COUNTRIES TO PARTICIPATE IN FIRMAR-2001
Cienfuegos, March 29 (RHC)--Firms form a dozen countries in the Caribbean,
Europe and Latin America, including Canada, will be present at the 3rd
International Sea Fair (FIRMAR-2001), set for April 3rd through the 6th in
the southeastern province of Cienfuegos.
Of the 68 companies that have confirmed their participation in the business
event, four are completely foreign. Participants in the fair will also
include another 15 mixed enterprises, operating with Cuban and foreign
capital from Chile, Mexico, Canada, Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain,
Lithuania and Israel, among others.
The 3rd International Sea Fair is dedicated to the protection of the
Environment. Cuba's Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment has
announced the presentation of advanced Cuban technology in the field.
*CUBA TO REVIVE STEAM LOCOMOTIVES
Havana, March 29 (RHC)--Though we have entered the 21st Century, Cubans may
soon be traveling around the island in trains hauled by steam locomotives.
The island has plans to revive the hearty steam engine for passenger use in
short and medium distances and for its sugar industry.
According to Granma newspaper, Cuban transportation experts they have the
technical know how to build a new 800 horsepower steam locomotive. The
engines would be put to work in Cuba's sugar industry, which boasts 155
mills across the island. They would also be harnessed to passenger trains
for use in Cuba's national railway company. The steam-powered locomotive
would run for 10 hours straight without having to take on fuel or water.
Studies show that building a steam engine is significantly less expensive
than buying a diesel locomotive on the international market, for some
$800,000.00.
Feasibility studies reveal that the new steam engine would pay for itself in
a little over one year of service, while it would recuperate the dollars
spent on construction of the machine in just four months. Steam engines are
also less harmful to the environment.
*WORLD LEADERS SHOCKED AND ANGRY AT US WITHDRAWAL FROM ENVIRONMENTAL PACT
London, March 29 (RHC)--The international community has reacted with shock,
deep concern and even anger over the U.S. government's announcement
Wednesday that Washington is withdrawing from the Kyoto Protocol on global
warming.
In Great Britain, both the government and the opposition are furious.
British Environment Secretary Michael Meacher termed as
exceptionallyperilous the Bush administration's decision, stressing that the
Kyoto Protocol is the only possibility -- that there is no other alternative
for the moment.
Meacher said climatic changes are humanity's most dangerous and horrible
challenge over the next one hundred years, warning that if temperatures
continue to rise, entire regions of the planet will be uninhabitable, there
will be unprecedented droughts, hurricanes and floods. Former Environment
Secretary, conservative John Gummer, termed as unacceptable that one country
decides for everyone, stating that without an environmental accord there can
be no world trade agreement.
French Environment Minister Dominique Voynet called Washington's decision
scandalous and a completely irresponsible provocation, noting -- along with
manyother nations -- that the United States is by far the major carbon
dioxide contaminator. European Union Environment Commissioner Margot
Wallstrom said the United States should understand that the environment is
not a minor question that can be reduced to economic considerations.
Japan, Australia and New Zealand reacted in a similar fashion, while Canada
and 15 Latin American nations discussing the Kyoto Protocol in Montreal were
so shocked that they suspended a press conference slated for late Wednesday.
*ZAPATISTAS, MEXICAN GOVERNMENT WIN PRAISE FOR EFFORTS TOWARD PEACE
Mexico City, March 29 (RHC)--All of Mexico's news dailies are positively
highlighting Wednesday's intervention of the Zapatista National Liberation
Army before the full floor of the country's lower house of Congress. La
Reforma, El Universal, Excelsior, La Jornada, and many others front-paged
what they called the frankness of the indigenous rebels' discourse,
asserting that Mexico has provided the entire world with a lesson in
civility.
The country's principle media outlets asserted that both Mexican President
Vicente Fox and rebel commander Marcos have emerged as winners, that both
did well in the political chess match whose playing board was the
legislative palace. The Mexican press said that what occurred yesterday in
the Mexican Congress is a victory for Mexican society.
Late Wednesday evening, following the Zapatistas' appearance in Congress,
rebel liaison Fernando Yanez held the first gathering with Congressional
Chiapas Peace Commissioner Luis Hector Alvarez aimed at initiating new peace
talks. The two sides agreed to begin negotiations on the three conditions
the Zapatistas have placed for renewal of talks: the dismantling of seven
military bases in Chiapas, the release of all Zapatistas in Mexican prisons
and the approval of legislation on indigenous rights, autonomy and culture.
A date to begin the talks has not been announced, but both sides agreed to
maintain permanent contacts.
*Viewpoint: THE CUBA-SOUTH AFRICA COOPERATION ACCORDS
Cuban-South African cooperation has reached new heights with the recent
visit
to the island of South African President Thabo Mbeki. The two countries have
increased collaboration in the area of medicine and pharmacology, with a
medical training program and the transfer of technology and scientific
research.
That aspect of cooperation between the two countries is of fundamental
importance keeping in mind the conditions in which most South Africans are
living in after years of being kept in misery and oppression at the hands of
the racist white minority.
Today, conditions are beginning to change and the country has set as a
priority the recuperation of the education and health of the majority of the
people who had been excluded from these possibilities for too long.
Cuba has attempted to cooperate with the real South Africans and has sent
volunteer doctors who are getting to know the ambiance and who are, little
by little, beginning to gain the trust of their patients and the population
in general. There are currently 464 Cuban doctors working in South Africa
and that number will rise when both countries feel it should.
Regarding the pharmacology industry, it is absolutely essential that South
Africa develop a strong one to try and meet the needs of its large
population and those of other regional nations.
As is stressed by the joint communiqué signed during President Mbeki's visit
to Cuba; the numbers of programs of scientific exchange and mixed
enterprises must be increased to raise the production of the biotechnology
industry. So, after a short but productive visit, South Africa and Cuba are
looking forward to an exciting future of exchange and growth.
(c) 2001 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved.
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