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Date: Sun, 9 Dec 2001 06:52:12 -0500
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Subject: RHC Weekend-08/09 December 2001
RHC Weekend-08/09 December 2001
Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit
Radio Havana Cuba - Weekend News Update - 08/09 December 2001
.
*FIDEL ADDRESSES SAO PAOLO FORUM CONDEMNING FTAA AND CALLING FOR UNITY
*YASSER ARAFAT APPEARS ON ISRAELI TV AS WORLD CONDEMNS ARIEL SHARON
*MULLAH OMAR REPORTED HELD AS KANDAHAR FALLS; US MARINES ENGAGE IN FIGHTING
*BUSH OBTAINS ANOTHER VICTORY IN CONGRESS KEEPING $7 BILLION FOR PENTAGON
*HUMANITARIAN PROGRAM IN IRAQ FAIL TO PROVIDE BASIC NEEDS - UN OFFICIAL
*NATIONAL GUARD PATROLS STREETS OF CARACAS AS RIGHT WING THREATENS STRIKE
*BODIES OF REFUGEES FOUND IN CONTAINER IN IRELAND
*SOME RUSSIAN DEPUTIES REGRET THE COLLAPSE OF USSR TEN YEARS AGO TODAY
*ACP GROUP CALLS ON EUROPEAN UNION TO PERMIT CUBA'S ENTRY TO ALLIANCE
.
*FIDEL ADDRESSES SAO PAOLO FORUM CONDEMNING FTAA AND CALLING FOR UNITY
Havana, December 8 (RHC)--Cuban President Fidel Castro delivered the
closing address of the tenth Sao Paolo Forum Friday night here in
Havana.
The four-day gathering of left and progressive forces from Latin
America and the Caribbean came to an end with the approval of a final
declaration condemning free market neo-liberal globalization,
poverty, unemployment and corruption - with a strong denunciation of
Washington's proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas.
During the tenth forum, which began on Tuesday, more than 500
delegates from 150 political parties and organizations - representing
84 countries - debated key issues facing the region and world. Fidel
Castro attended plenary sessions each day, occasionally speaking with
those gathered. His main remarks were reserved for Friday night and
lasted well into the early morning hours of Saturday. The Cuban
president spoke extemporaneously for a little more than five hours,
touching on a wide array of subjects debated during the four-day
meeting.
Fidel Castro said that neo-liberalism, imperialism and capitalism
have entered a time of extreme crisis - a "Special Period" he said, in
reference to the stagnant economic period in Cuba following the
collapse of the former Soviet Union and European socialist countries.
The Cuban president noted that the coming period will be decisive for
the world with either a new system of social justice or the planet's
total destruction. He emphasized that free-trade neo-liberalism is
unsustainable and will only lead to greater social tensions,
affirming that there is no such thing as free enterprise or free
competition. What kind of freedom exists for those who are
illiterate, for those who live in poverty in the shantytowns of our
major cities, the Cuban leader asked.
During his closing address at the 10th Sao Paolo Forum, Fidel Castro
took aim at the Free Trade Area of the Americas, calling it nothing
more than the economic annexation of the region by the United states
and he called upon those present from Latin American and Caribbean
political parties and organizations to work for unity on issues of
common concern. The Cuban leader insisted that a united front can be
achieved on issues such as social justice and a better world for all
- and that representatives from organizations that gathered over the
past several days here in Havana have a moral and political
obligation to achieved that united aim.
Organizers of the Sao Paolo Forums announced that the 11th meeting
will be held next November in Guatemala City.
*YASSER ARAFAT APPEARS ON ISRAELI TV AS WORLD CONDEMNS ARIEL SHARON
Havana, December 8 (RHC)--The President of the Palestine National
Authority, Yasser Arafat, Friday night spoke directly to the Israeli
public in a television interview in which he said that he had
complied with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's demand to arrest
Islamic militants.
The Palestinian leader was attempting to stop the wave of reprisals
against the West Bank and Gaza Strip a week after a series of suicide
bombings by members of the Palestinian organizations Hamas and
Islamic Jihad left some 30 civilians dead.
The rush to avenge the killings with more killings has brought
worldwide condemnation upon Sharon, with international figures like
Mary Robinson of the United Nations Human Rights Commission harshly
criticizing Israel for carrying out the selective assassinations that
have prompted the militant's actions. The French foreign minister,
Hubert Vedrine, went even further, accusing Sharon of deliberately
attempting to eliminate the Palestine National Authority, something
which former Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has been
openly calling for and which Sharon's deputy foreign minister,
Michael Melchior, seems to support by saying that the Palestinian
leader is "no longer relevant." An Israeli official who was not named
told AFP news that his government reserves the right to prevent
President Arafat from leaving the Gaza Strip where he has his
headquarters. The Palestinian press has announced that Arafat plans
to attend a meeting of the Islamic Conference Organization in Doha,
Qatar, which will discuss the Palestine/Israel situation.
Arafat's forces have arrested some 200 members of Hamas and Islamic
Jihad but Israeli defense minister, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, said that
this was not enough as Palestinian police had only arrested half of
the people Tel Aviv was demanding be locked up. The situation is very
tense in Palestine, as the arrests have made Yasser Arafat unpopular
- especially after the house arrest of Hamas leader, Sheik Ahmed
Yassin. Hamas denounced the arrests but called for the population
not to take vengeance on Palestinian police.
*MULLAH OMAR REPORTED HELD AS KANDAHAR FALLS; US MARINES ENGAGE IN FIGHTING
Havana, December 8 (RHC)--As opposition Afghan fighters entered the
southern Afghan city of Kandahar Saturday, following the complete
collapse of the Taliban regime, the whereabouts of its leader Mullah
Omar were uncertain.
The Times in London reported that rival Afghan groups had captured
Omar, but US forces on the ground were unable to confirm whether
this was true. Some 1,500 US marines are now fully engaged in
combat as fighting intensifies around he city with Taliban forces
trying to break out of the net that has closed upon them.
Fighting was also reported to be taking place between rival
victorious muhajadeen forces, in spite of previous agreements between
warlords to peacefully hand over Kandahar after it had been taken.
Apparently, different groups want to ensure they have control over
some of the principal areas of the city to enable them to broker
power deals with the new interim administration headed by Pashtun
leader Hamid Karzai.
Others reports said that although many Taliban soldiers had
surrendered they had been allowed to leave the city fully armed,
leading to accusations among Afghan warlords as to Taliban
sympathizers among them.
Aside from heavily bombing retreating Taliban troops, the Pentagon is
also patrolling seas off the coast of Pakistan to prevent any escape
to friendlier lands.
"Anyone suspected of assisting or transporting bin Laden and/or
al-Qaida leadership should expect to be boarded and will risk the
sinking or seizure of the vessel and will be detained and jailed," a
Pentagon official said.
It was thought that most of those still fighting or trying to escape
are Arabs, Pakistanis and Chechens who flocked to the Taliban cause
and who are given no quarter by anti-Taliban Afghan forces. Almost
all those Taliban soldiers now in custody are of Afghan origin and
have therefore been allowed to live. Many of these non-Afghan
fighters are heading for the mountains where they are expected to
continue their struggle.
If Mullah Omar is in custody then he can expect to be put on trial,
said the new Afghan leader Karzai. Omar has refused to denounce
terrorism, added Karzai, and will therefore be punished for his
support of Osama bin Laden.
*BUSH OBTAINS ANOTHER VICTORY IN CONGRESS KEEPING $7 BILLION FOR PENTAGON
Havana, December 8 (RHC)--In the wake of his victory in Congress in
which the US House of Representatives approved by one vote a bill
granting fast-track negotiating power to President George W Bush, the
US president has scored another win in forcing opponents to allow him
to put a cap on $20 billion worth of anti-terrorism spending.
The triumph for Bush came after legislators battled each other for
three days before voting to approve a defense bill that includes the
$20 billion as a domestic security package. Democrats had wanted the
spending to reach $35 billion but Bush saw this as taking away $7
billion from the Pentagon and forcefully opposed the motion.
Republicans unanimously supported Bush's insistence on limiting
federal anti-terror spending, saying that the Democrats were
deliberately forcing politically sensitive votes. However, critics
responded that in the light of statements made by Bush's defense
secretary Donald Rumsfeld this week in relation to maintaining the
President's "with us or against us" mind-set, that this charge was
bound in hypocrisy.
In other news from the White House, Rumsfeld was reported to have
been overridden by Secretary of State Colin Powell in a decision to
acknowledge Russia's importance in its increased role within NATO.
In what observers are saying is the most important realignment of
powers for 50 years, Russia is on the road to be recognized as a
member of NATO rather than an associate of the organization. Powell
has favored Russian integration and is supported by Bush, according
to White House observers.
Although Russia is not yet a full member of NATO, Secretary
Rumsfeld's concern is that Moscow could be seen as such and wants
wording in NATO agreements being prepared at a meeting in Iceland to
reflect this by saying NATO 19 plus Russia, rather than NATO 20.
Powell overruled him.
Rumsfeld was reportedly acting in defense of some of the former
Soviet-dominated countries like Poland and the Czech Republic that
seek caution when dealing with Moscow. Nine nations, including the
former Soviet Baltic republics, are applying to join the alliance.
The New York Times reported one Western diplomat as saying that "Some
of these countries were saying that they got into NATO a few years
ago to seek security from Russia, and now look who is seated at the
table."
*HUMANITARIAN PROGRAM IN IRAQ FAIL TO PROVIDE BASIC NEEDS - UN OFFICIAL
Baghdad, December 8 (RHC)--The Coordinator of the UN humanitarian
program for Iraq, Tun Myat, admits that the initiative has failed to
satisfy many of the basic needs of the Iraqi population.
The United Nations official told the press in Baghdad that he was
"depressed" and "sad" that his organization lacks the capacity to
make much headway in meeting the needs of the people in the "Oil for
Food" program. He listed lack of financial support as the main
obstacle.
The program, which authorizes Iraq to sell restricted quantities of
crude oil to buy foods, medicines and other basic necessities, was
approved in l996 to counteract the negative effects of the UN
economic embargo against the country on the civilian population,
especially children.
In a press conference on the fifth anniversary of the "Oil for Food"
program, Myat lamented existing political obstacles. The UN official
mentioned the blockage by the Security Council Sanctions Committee of
almost $4.5 billion of humanitarian aid for what it called
"technical" reasons.
What's more, noted the program coordinator, the United Nations has
frozen another $3 billion in aid for Iraq. He added that the
country's school system has been unable to advance over the past five
years because of lack of teachers and materials.
Baghdad is calling for the lifting of the embargo and accuses the
United States and Great Britain of working to keep the measure in
place, while placing obstacles in the way of the humanitarian
program.
Health experts say that at least half a million Iraqi children have
died over the past five years as a direct result of the United
Nation's economic sanctions.
*NATIONAL GUARD PATROLS STREETS OF CARACAS AS RIGHT WING THREATENS STRIKE
Caracas, December 8 (RHC)--Some 20,000 National Guards began
patrolling the streets of Caracas today, under a security plan
designed to maintain order as the country awaits a work stoppage
called by big business and labor for Monday.
National Guard Division General, Francisco Belisario, announced that
his troops will increase their patrols. The guards had been deployed
weeks ago for traditional holiday season operations.
The military officer told the El Nacional newspaper that it was his
duty to protect and safeguard people against situations that could
threaten their peace and tranquility.
This week Venezuela has been the site of numerous street
demonstrations for and against the government of President Hugo
Chavez. The demonstration convened by big business sectors and
various labor unions is in response to a legislation package that
they claim ties the hands of business. Business interests hope that
some one million companies will close their doors during the 12-hour
strike.
The government has a announced an air show over the capital on Monday
featuring military fighter jets and a giant demonstration in favor of
the new measures, which will be held in a rural area in southeast
Venezuela.
Meanwhile, Cuban president Fidel Castro charged in Havana that there
exists a campaign by the Venezuelan oligarchy and extreme right wing
to topple the Hugo Chavez government.
In the closing early Saturday morning of the Tenth Sao Paulo Forum,
President Castro referred to the work stoppage called for Monday by
the Venezuelan business sector. The Cuban leader emphasized that
President Chavez was democratically elected and recalled that in the
past two years the Venezuelan president had called various elections
and all were supported by the people. President Castro compared his
Venezuelan counterpart to the assassinated Chilean president,
Salvador Allende, saying that it was a miracle that Chavez has not
been murdered. One of the ways that the US CIA toppled Allende was to
organize massive national strikes in the days prior to the coup
d'etat led by Pinochet.
The Sao Paulo Forum, which gathered leftist and progressive forces
and leaders from 82 countries, passed a declaration supporting
Venezuela's government and denouncing aggression by reactionaries and
those supporting neoliberal policies who, he said, were blocking
changes that favor the people and government.
The delegates at the Havana meeting of the Sao Paulo Forum stated
that the growing threat in Venezuela, encouraged from abroad, is a
real and immediate and should be rejected by all progressive and
democratic organizations.
*BODIES OF REFUGEES FOUND IN CONTAINER IN IRELAND
Dublin, December 8 (RHC)--The bodies of up to eight refugees were
found when Irish police opened a container in Wexford, in the southeast
of Ireland today.
Five other refugees were taken to hospital after the discovery of the
container, in a parking lot outside Wexford town and close to the
ferry port of Rosslare. There was no immediate indication of the
container's origin or of the circumstances of the find. One of the
surviving refugees is said to be in a serious condition.
Early reports from the scene of today's discovery indicated that
those inside the vehicle appeared to be Romanian. They were found
when the driver of the truck carrying a cargo of furniture heard
noises from the back of his vehicle. The cargo is believed to have
originated in Italy.
The scene was sealed off and officers from the Irish National
Immigration Bureau were called in.
*SOME RUSSIAN DEPUTIES REGRET THE COLLAPSE OF USSR TEN YEARS AGO TODAY
Moscow, December 8 (RHC)--On the 10th anniversary of the collapse
of the Soviet Union, some Russian parliamentarians have expressed
their regret at the event.
On December 8, 1991, Russia's President, Boris Yeltsin, and the
presidents of Ukrania and Belarus, Leonid Kravchuk and Stanislav
Chuhkievich, confirmed that the USSR had ceased to exist.
Serguei Ivanienko, liberal deputy of the Iabloko Party said that the
fall of the Soviet Union had been a tragedy although recognizing that
there is no way back. He said that anyone who thinks otherwise is not
facing reality.
According to a poll taken by the Romir Institute and quoted by Tass
news service, the Russian press agency, 72% of Russians mourn the
disappearance of the Soviet Union.
*ACP GROUP CALLS ON EUROPEAN UNION TO PERMIT CUBA'S ENTRY TO ALLIANCE
Havana, December 8 (RHC)--The Africa-Caribbean-Pacific Group (ACP)
has called on the European Union (EU) to substantially revise its
position on Cuba and to allow Cuba enter the alliance that already
exits between both parties.
At a meeting of the ACP Council of Ministers in Brussels, Belgium,
earlier this month, a resolution was put that Cuba's access must also
be unconditional.
According to a report in Cuba's national daily, Granma, Cuba's entry
into the ACP/EU alliance has gained support because of the disastrous
impact of the US blockade against the island, which has been
condemned on various occasions by the European Union and the
international community.
The ACP resolution comes after the reopening of constructive and
friendly talks in Havana last week between the Cuban government and
representatives of the European Union.
This resolution has been previously approved by the combined ACP/EU
Parliamentary Assembly in Abuja in March 2000 and in Libreville on
the 22nd of Mach 2001, which called on the ACP/EU Council of
Ministers and the European Commission to consider Cuba's application
in a favorable manner. The matter will be discussed and analyzed at
an EU meeting next Monday.
(c) 2001 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved.
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