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Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2002 06:22:05 -0500
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Subject: Radio Havana Cuba-17 January 2002
Radio Havana Cuba-17 January 2002
Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit
Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 17 January 2002
.
*HEAD OF INTERPOL PRAISES CUBA'S WORK IN FIGHTING CRIME AND DRUG-TRAFFICKING
*RECOVERY EFFORTS FOLLOWING HURRICANE MICHELLE ON TRACK
*CANADIAN GROUP DONATES MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS TO HAVANA SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND
*NEW ZEALAND'S FOREIGN MINISTER ARRIVES IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL
*US POLITICIANS RUSH TO SHED CAMPAIGN DONATIONS FROM SCANDAL-RIDDEN ENRON
*ARGENTINE POLICE, TRACING ILLEGAL CAPITAL FLIGHT, RAID FINANCE AGENCIES
*RIGHTS GROUPS BLAST CONDITIONS, LEGAL STATUS GUANTANAMO PRISONERS
*UN SAYS AID FOR AFGHANISTAN ARRIVING SLOWLY AND IN LIMITED AMOUNTS
*PLO FACTIONS THREATEN TO ABANDON COALITION AFTER ARREST OF PALESTINIAN
LEADER
*Viewpoint: ARGENTINA - NEO-LIBERAL SHOWCASE
.
*HEAD OF INTERPOL PRAISES CUBA'S WORK IN FIGHTING CRIME AND DRUG-TRAFFICKING
Havana, January 17 (RHC)-- The visiting head of INTERPOL has praised
Cuba's efforts in fighting criminal activity and said he would help
connect the island to a global police network battling terrorism and
crime. Ronald Noble, the secretary general of the international
police agency based in France, gave a news conference Wednesday at
the conclusion of a three-day working visit to Havana.
The head of INTERPOL told reporters that he thanked Cuban authorities
for the country's immediate condemnation of the September 11th
attacks in New York and Washington. Cuba issued a strong condemnation
of the terrorist actions on that same day -- reiterating its
opposition to international terrorism -- but has firmly condemned the
U.S.-led war against Afghanistan.
Noting that Havana is committed to fight terrorism, Noble said that
INTERPOL would provide Cuba with the hardware, software and other
equipment necessary to connect the island to a global database.
According to the head of INTERPOL, once connected, Cuba will be
invited to join the 179-member countries of the police agency in
sharing intelligence on criminal activities.
Regarding Cuba's work in fighting drug-trafficking, the secretary
general of INTERPOL praised what he called "extraordinary efforts" in
that field. He told reporters at Havana's International Press Center
that he would like to see closer cooperation between Cuba and the
United States in fighting illicit drug-trafficking.
Havana has long called for a formal cooperation agreement with
Washington to combat trafficking in the Caribbean, but the United
States has refused to sign an accord. The head of INTERPOL said
Wednesday that the lack of such an agreement only "gives drug
traffickers an advantage that they shouldn't have."
Observers noted that the White House is trying hard to ignore growing
pressure from Capitol Hill for cooperation with Cuba. A number of
congressional representatives have argued for working with Cuba on
interdiction efforts -- but their proposals have been repeatedly shot
down by the lobbying efforts of right-wing Cuban-Americans in
southern Florida.
*RECOVERY EFFORTS FOLLOWING HURRICANE MICHELLE ON TRACK
Matanzas, January 17 (RHC)-- Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage has
confirmed that recovery efforts following Hurricane Michelle are on
schedule. During a meeting with local officials in Matanzas -- the
province hardest hit by the storm in November -- Lage reiterated the
government's commitment to completely recover from the devastating
hurricane within one year.
The Cuban vice president had words of praise for the level of
discipline and organization among workers in Matanzas, who have
already turned over the keys of new homes to a number of residents in
the area.
Carlos Lage noted that a total of 12,500 houses destroyed by
Hurricane Michelle would be completely rebuilt.
*CANADIAN GROUP DONATES MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS TO HAVANA SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND
Havana, January 17 (RHC)-- A Cuba solidarity organization in Canada
has donated musical instruments to a special school for the blind in
the Cuban capital. The President of the Cuba-Canada Friendship
Association, Nazir Rizvi, made the donation to the Abel Santamaria
Special School in Cuidad Libertad, located in the Havana neighborhood
of Marianao.
In statements to reporters on Wednesday, the Canadian solidarity
activist condemned the U.S. economic blockade of the island. He said
that Canadians have always been opposed to the measures unilaterally
imposed against the island for more than 40 years.
The head of the Cuba-Canada Friendship Association announced that,
over the past several years, his organization has donated hundreds of
thousands dollars worth of musical instruments and equipment -- in
addition to more than 10,000 dollars in economic assistance.
*NEW ZEALAND'S FOREIGN MINISTER ARRIVES IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL
Havana, January 17 (RHC)-- The Foreign Minister of New Zealand,
Phillip Goff, arrived in the Cuban capital on Thursday. Invited by
his Cuban counterpart, Felipe Perez Roque, this is his first official
visit to the island.
Phillip Goff, who also serves as the country's minister of foreign
trade, will meet with high-ranking Cuban officials and tour areas of
social and economic interest.
New Zealand's foreign minister and his accompanying delegation will
return home on Sunday, the 20th.
*US POLITICIANS RUSH TO SHED CAMPAIGN DONATIONS FROM SCANDAL-RIDDEN ENRON
Washington, January 17 (RHC) -- Members of the US Congress and
officials from the Republican and Democratic Parties are reportedly
devising ways to give away hundreds of thousands of dollars in Enron
donations to distance themselves from a company that is now seen as
politically radioactive. The Washington Post reported Thursday that
the Republican Party's three major campaign committees are dumping
the biggest chunk of Enron donations, to the tune of 280,000 dollars,
while the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee will give 100,000
dollars in Enron "soft money" donations to charities helping former
Enron employees who the firm robbed of their life savings.
The Post affirmed that numerous House and Senate members are trying
to determine the most credible of the charitable groups providing
support to displaced Enron employees, while noting that among the
quickest to sever their financial links to Enron are those facing
tough campaigns this year. But some prominent lawmakers, according to
the news daily, say they will not give away Enron donations because
it would amount to an admission that the money was accepted
unethically.
The Post predicted, however, that political nervousness about Enron's
collapse may spread, noting that some politicians are wondering aloud
whether to give back donations from the accounting firm under
investigation for its role in the company's spectacular collapse.
Some observers are asserting that the Enron scandal has pushed US
politics to the brink of a fundamental overhaul.
A campaign finance bill aimed at curbing the influence that
heavy-spending companies yield in Washington just needs four more
signatures to put it on the floor of the House of Representatives.
Observers believe that President George W. Bush, the biggest single
beneficiary of Enron's lavish campaign contributions and a staunch
opponent of campaign finance reform, would find it difficult to
block.
In related news, The New York Times has reported that Enron paid no
income taxes in four of the last five years, using almost 900
subsidiaries in tax-haven countries. The finding came in an analysis
of the firm's financial reports to shareholders, which demonstrated
that the company not only used strategies common among businesses to
avoid taxes, but was also eligible for 382 million dollars in tax
refunds.
A front-page article in the news daily noted that Enron is by no
means alone in not paying income taxes, pointing to a study by the
non-governmental organization Citizens for Tax Justice, which showed
that a small but growing percentage of large companies do the same. A
study of half of the Fortune 500 firms found that 24 paid no taxes in
1998, up from 13 in 1997 and 16 in 1996.
The Times reported that while it is common for American companies to
create subsidiaries in tax havens abroad, Enron had far more than
most others. Dynegy, a Houston competitor of Enron in the energy
trading business, Wednesday said it had no such subsidiaries, but
Chevron is known to have at least three and Exxon Mobil has six.
*ARGENTINE POLICE, TRACING ILLEGAL CAPITAL FLIGHT, RAID FINANCE AGENCIES
Buenos Aires, January 17 (RHC) -- Police in Argentina have begun
raiding foreign banks, airports and train and air transportation
firms suspected of participating in a massive capital flight
operation. Investigators are reportedly trying to determine whether
and how bank agencies sent large sums of money abroad just before
former President Fernando de la Rua froze bank accounts last December
3rd and only allowed limited withdrawals.
The investigation began after two Argentine attorneys brought
criminal charges three days ago against de la Rua, his entire cabinet
and the head of the Central Bank, Roque Maccarone, who stepped down
on Wednesday. Federal Judge Norberto Oyarbide said the raids, which
began Wednesday evening will continue and expand, and include firms
operating with US, British and Spanish capital.
One of the denouncing attorneys, Juan Carlos Iglesias, has asserted
that as much as 20 billion dollars could have been illegally taken
out of the country in a criminal conspiracy involving de la Rua. He
said 358 brinks trucks were seen going to Argentina's Ezeiza
international airport between November 20 and 30.
Meanwhile, former Argentine Nobel Peace laureate Adolfo Perez
Esquivel has come out in favor of taking the country's foreign debt
issue to the International Court at the Hague to determine which part
of the debt is legitimate and which part is illegitimate. Following a
meeting with President Eduardo Duhalde, Perez Equivel said Argentina
has suffered the economic subversion of circles of power that
plundered the nation and that there should be an investigation into
who is responsible.
*RIGHTS GROUPS BLAST CONDITIONS, LEGAL STATUS GUANTANAMO PRISONERS
London, New York, January 17 (RHC) -- Controversy is growing over
the conditions in which Taliban prisoners are being detained at the
U.S. Guantánamo Naval Base in Cuba and their legal status, leading
some observers to affirm that the situation is putting the United
States in an embarrassing spot. Prominent human rights advocates are
protesting the detainees' lack of protection under the Geneva
Convention outlining conditions of treatment for prisoners of war.
Amnesty International has expressed concern following reports that
the prisoners were hooded, shackled and sedated during their
transfer, asserting that degrading treatment of prisoners is a
flagrant violation of international law that cannot be justified
under any circumstances. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary
Robinson also expressed concern, saying that her agency is seeking to
obtain more information.
The organization Human Rights Watch has requested access to the
prisoners, who they said should be treated as POWs. James Ross, the
organization's legal advisor, decried the small cells with chain link
fencing for walls, concrete floors and wooden roofs where the
prisoners are housed - calling them cages partly exposed to the
elements.
US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has come under intense fire
after stating that he didn't have the slightest concern for the
prisoners' treatment, and calling them "unlawful combatants" not
entitled to protection under the Geneva Convention. Amid the
controversy Washington has reportedly authorized a visit to
Guantánamo by four International Red Cross members.
*UN SAYS AID FOR AFGHANISTAN ARRIVING SLOWLY AND IN LIMITED AMOUNTS
Kabul, January 17 (RHC) -- United Nations officials are asserting
that the international community has barely responded to
Afghanistan's recent plea for urgent financial aid. In Kabul, Ahmed
Fawzi - spokesperson for special UN representative in Afghanistan,
Lajdar Brahimi - Thursday called the response "disappointing."
Fawzi said that thus far only 7.3 of the 17.6 million dollars in aid
immediately promised has arrived since donor nations made verbal
commitments at December's inter-Afghan conference in Bonn, Germany.
He said that amount could reach 9.7 million dollars in the coming
days, but asserted that it's still far from what was promised.
Fawzi himself requested urgent aid last Monday for the new, almost
bankrupt, Afghan administration, noting that 10 million dollars is
needed just to pay the salaries for one month of some 210,000
government officials and 25 thousand police who haven't received
their pay checks. At a conference of donor nations opening next
Monday in Tokyo, Afghanistan is expected to request some 15 billion
dollars for the country's reconstruction over the next 10 years.
But according to Fawzi, the Tokyo conference has nothing to do with
the gathering in Bonn, which, he said, was to request immediate aid
for immediate necessities. And, he added, whatever agreement on
financial aid reached in Tokyo could take six months to materialize.
The so-called Afghanistan Support Group is comprised of 16 European
and Asian countries, along with the European Commission.
*PLO FACTIONS THREATEN TO ABANDON COALITION AFTER ARREST OF PALESTINIAN
LEADER
Damascus, January 17 (RHC) -- Representatives of all the Palestine
Liberation Organization factions met in Damascus late Wednesday to
demand the immediate release of Ahmed Saadat, leader of the Popular
Front for the Liberation of Palestine, arrested on Tuesday as
demanded by Israel. Israel has insisted on Saadat's arrest and that
of three other PFLP members suspected of the October assassination of
Israeli tourism minister Rehvam Zeevi.
The assassination was in revenge for Israel's murder in August of
PFLP leader Abu Ali Mustafa. Spokespersons for the PFLP, and the
organizations Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, are warning that the
Palestinian National Authority has put itself in full contradiction
with all the occupied country's national and Islamic factions without
exception, and is in this way digging its own grave. The eight
different factions making up the PLO are threatening to abandon the
coalition.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army has placed in doubt its credibility and
sparked a political controversy by asserting that last week it only
demolished 22 homes in a Palestinian refugee camp and that none were
occupied, when it has been amply reported that some 70 homes were
destroyed and about 500 Palestinians left homeless. Israeli pacifist
legislator Iosi Sarid condemned the practice in general, noting that
the reprisal affects many innocent people and simply instills more
hatred in Palestinian people.
*Viewpoint: ARGENTINA - NEO-LIBERAL SHOWCASE
For four years now, the Argentinean economy has experienced its
most difficult crisis ever. The government is in bankruptcy to the
point that it has decreed a moratorium on payment of the country's
foreign debt. The nation's political leaders have been discredited in
a society asphyxiated by more than ten years of constant economic
readjustment recipes, which have left people no choice but to raise
up against their government.
The Argentinean foreign debt soared from 8 billion dollars in 1976 to
over 130 billions last year, even although over that period the
country paid some 200 billion dollars to its creditors.
But the ill must not die, or the vicious circle would be broken.
Thus, as a demonstration its so-called "benevolence," the
International Monetary Fund extended its deadline by one year for
payment of the 933 million dollars that Argentina was to have paid by
this Thursday.
IMF official Hoerst Koehler announced the decision adopted by the
24-member IMF Board of Directors in a short communiqué saying that
the initiative reveals the organization's desire to help the South
American nation overcome its current economic and social crisis.
Koehler also stressed that the IMF leadership welcomes the commitment
expressed by Argentinean authorities to work jointly with his
organization to develop a strategy aimed at restoring sustainable
economic development.
In its communiqué, the IMF also reiterated its so-called willingness
to continue to assist in the development of that strategy, together
with the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. This was
in response to a decision by new Argentinean President Eduardo
Duhalde to apply only on a temporary basis the dual currency
exchange, which today coexists in the South American nation.
As of last Friday, there exists in Argentina a fixed monetary
exchange decreed by President Eduardo Duhalde and the free market.
This monetary duality put an end to the 1991 Convertibility Law,
which pegged the Argentinean peso to the U.S. dollar.
An IMF mission is currently in Buenos Aires, the capital, to offer
technical assistance on the banking system, the country's foreign
debt and fiscal measures. This is so despite the fact that the
lending institution froze its financial assistance program to
Argentina on December 5th.
But since the IMF is little more than an instrument at the service of
Washington, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer on Wednesday
reiterated his government's willingness to help the South American
nation by way of the IMF, as long as President Duhalde comes up with
a viable plan to pull the nation out of the current crisis.
Meanwhile, more than one-third of Argentina's 36 million inhabitants
are living in poverty, exacerbated by rising unemployment sparked by
the frenzy of privatization by consecutive Argentinean governments,
which have followed to the letter the neo-liberal recipes dictated by
Washington through its enforcement instrument: the International
Monetary Fund.
(c) 2002 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved.
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