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Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 04:02:23 -0500
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Subject: Radio Havana Cuba-29 January 2002
Radio Havana Cuba-29 January 2002
Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit
Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 29 January 2002
.
*FIDEL ADDRESSES CLOSING SESSION OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CONGRESS
*U.S. PRESSURES LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES TO PRESENT ITS ANNUAL
ANTI-CUBA RESOLUTION AT UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
*BLOCKADE OF CUBA COSTS US FARMERS MORE THAN $1 BILLION A YEAR - STUDY
*VIETNAM'S AMBASSADOR VISITS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK IN HOLGUIN
*JOSE MARTI REMEMBERED IN HANOI
*GENERAL COORDINATOR OF SPANISH OPPOSITION POLITICAL PARTY VISITS CUBA
*CUBA REAFFIRMS SUPPORT FOR MEXICO'S SEAT ON UN SECURITY COUNCIL
*WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMS DECISION TO REFUSE TALIBAN PRISONERS POW STATUS
*ISRAELI TROOPS RAID PALESTINIAN TOWN
*Viewpont: CUBA AND HONDURAS RENEW RELATIONS
.
*FIDEL ADDRESSES CLOSING SESSION OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CONGRESS
Havana, January 29 (RHC)--Cuban President Fidel Castro, Monday,
addressed the participants at the closing session of the 10th
Congress of the Federation High School Students, which took place
over the last three days at Havana's Convention Center. During the
conference 1300 delegates representing school children all over the
country analyzed and discussed the current educational system in Cuba
and proposed solutions to counteract problems relating to lack of
materials, school buildings in bad repair and transportation.
In his closing address to the students, the Cuban leader told them
that they are on the threshold of a new era in Cuban education. Due
to the special period, as the country's economic crunch is known,
which brought about severe financial curtailment of funds, schools
and other institutions suffered from lack of investment. He pointed
out that the Cuban Ministry of Education has embarked on a program
that will benefit all educational sectors and that they could look
forward to better resources and conditions.
The Monday plenary session of the 10th congress of Cuban high school
children concluded with a commitment that the congress would remain
open and at the request of President Fidel Castro, delegates would
meet again in three months to review the implementation of new
initiatives to improve high school education.
In the meantime, the 1,300 delegates were presented with the first
volume of a set of history books, written by a group of renowned
Cuban professors and signed by Fidel Castro.
*U.S. PRESSURES LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES TO PRESENT ITS ANNUAL
ANTI-CUBA RESOLUTION AT UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
Havana, January 29 (RHC)--Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque
has accused the United States of pressuring Latin American
governments to present its annual resolution against the island at
the United Nations Human Rights Commission.
In an interview with Prensa Latina News Agency, the Cuban foreign
minister said that Havana is confident that regional members of the
Geneva-based UN Commission will assume a dignified position despite
pressures and threats from Washington.
The top Cuban diplomat warned that the United States would try to
condemn Cuba in Geneva, using all kinds of pressures on Latin
American countries to get them to present Washington's resolution --
given that the Czech Republic does not want to sponsor it this year.
Felipe Perez Roque said that Prague feels it has already paid its
debt to their masters in Washington.
Cuba's foreign minister pointed out that despite four decades of
accusations of alleged human rights violations, the United States has
not been able to fabricate one single case of a disappeared or
tortured political prisoner. He also noted that Cuba -- supposedly
the great violator of human rights, according to Washington -- has a
life expectancy of 76 years, when there are many countries in the
Third World with a life expectancy of only 45 years.
*BLOCKADE OF CUBA COSTS US FARMERS MORE THAN $1 BILLION A YEAR - STUDY
Washington, January 29 (RHC)--A study commissioned by the
Washington-based Cuba Policy Foundation shows that U.S. farmers are
annually losing more than one billion dollars because of the U.S.
blockade against the island.
The study, entitled "Economic Impacts of U.S. Agricultural Exports to
Cuba," was conducted by C. Parr Rosson and Flynn Adcock, professors
of agricultural economics at Texas A&M University. In a statement
released with the report, Rosson said that if the blockade were
lifted, the average farmer in the U.S. "would feel a difference in
his or her life within two to three years."
Sally Grooms Cowal, president of the Cuba Policy Foundation, told
reporters on Capitol Hill that the U.S. is losing out on as much as
3.6 billion dollars in related economic activity due to the blockade.
She said that she hoped the newly released study would help encourage
Congress to take steps to end the blockade, "if only to help out
American farmers."
The head of the Cuba Policy Foundation recently visited Cuba, along
with delegations of congressional representatives and business people
looking into future possibilities for relations between Havana and
Washington. Political observers agree that the pressure is on from
farmer's groups and pharmaceutical giants, as well as other major
U.S. companies, who are anxious to do business with Cuba -- as soon
as they are allowed by their government in Washington.
*VIETNAM'S AMBASSADOR VISITS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK IN HOLGUIN
Holguin, January 29 (RHC)--Vietnam's ambassador to Cuba, Thay Van
Lung, on Monday visited the Celia Sanchez Training School for Social
Workers, which was inaugurated by Fidel Castro last October. During
his visit to the school, which is located in the eastern province of
Holguin, the diplomat expressed an interest in viewing first-hand the
course materials and methods developed by the school, which trains
2000 students from the provinces of Ciego de Avila, Camaguey, Las
Tunas and Holguin.
Speaking to the press, Thay Van Lung said that he was impressed with
the emphasis put on students having direct links with the community
during their training. He also praised the moral and humanitarian
philosophy behind the instruction that the students were receiving
and said that it reflects the socialist sentiments of the Cuban
revolution. He pointed out that it is the young people who today are
the principal force for change in the society.
*JOSE MARTI REMEMBERED IN HANOI
Hanoi, January 29 (RHC)--The work and ideals of Cuban national
hero, Jose Marti were remembered today, Tuesday, at a celebratory
event at the Cuban embassy in Hanoi. During the activity guests
listened to selected pieces of verse and political thought written by
Jose Marti.
The 149th anniversary of the birth of Jose Marti was featured in all
the Vietnamese media where he was remembered as a revolutionary, poet
and writer.
*GENERAL COORDINATOR OF SPANISH OPPOSITION POLITICAL PARTY VISITS CUBA
Havana, January 29 (RHC)--The General Coordinator of the Spanish
United Left Party, Gaspar Llamazares, Tuesday began a three-day
official visit to Cuba, at the invitation of the Cuban Communist
Party.
Upon his arrival Monday evening in Havana, Llamazares said that the
main reason for his visit was to expand his party's links with other
countries. He said that he started with Cuba because this country has
a strong tradition of left politics.
He emphasized that after the terrorist attacks on New York and
Washington last September 11th, it is even more important to unite
the left in the fight against terrorism in order to bring another
dimension to the solutions already in action.
The Spanish political leader pointed out that it is crucial to
coordinate the political forces of the left in Europe while Spain
holds the European Union presidency.
During his visit to Cuba, the general coordinator of the United Left
Party and his delegation will have an intensive program including
meetings with top government officials and visits to places of
interest.
*CUBA REAFFIRMS SUPPORT FOR MEXICO'S SEAT ON UN SECURITY COUNCIL
Mexico City, January 29 (RHC)--Cuba's ambassador to Mexico, Jorge
Bolanos, said Monday, that Cuba's vote for Mexico at the Security
Council of the United Nations amply demonstrated Cuba's support for
Mexico's role on the Council.
Responding to questions from Prensa Latina news agency as he attended
an event to commemorate the birth of Jose Marti, Bolanos said that
Cuba's vote was prompted by Mexico's tradition of working to
eliminate existing inequalities in the world order and the confidence
that Mexico would continue to follow that path.
Since the beginning of this year, Mexico and Colombia have been
representing Latin America on the Security Council as non-permanent
members.
At a press conference at the end of last year, Mexican Foreign
Minister, Jorge Castaneda said that he considered the seat on the
Security Council one of the major successes of Mexican foreign
politics and that they would take an active, energetic role in this
international forum.
According to Castaneda, from this new UN position, his country will
also have the opportunity to promote its own interests within the new
system of international relations.
Mexico will preside over the Security Council for the month of
February and according to some press reports, one of their main
themes for discussion will be combating the financing of terrorism.
*WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMS DECISION TO REFUSE TALIBAN PRISONERS POW STATUS
Washington, January 29 (RHC)--Following a meeting with officials
from the National Security Council on Tuesday, U.S. President George
W. Bush said he was studying whether or not Taliban and Al Qaeda
prisoners should be protected under the Geneva Convention -- but
quickly emphasized that they would not be granted the status of
prisoners of war.
According to reports from Washington, Secretary of State Colin Powell
had asked Bush to reconsider a decision he made two weeks ago that
the Geneva Convention would not apply to the prisoners. While Powell
agrees with the view that Taliban prisoners should not be classified
as POWs, he has publicly stated that he favors granting them
treatment under international law.
Some U.S. officials have expressed concern that by denying the
captives the protections of the Geneva Convention, the United States
is setting a precedent that could put future U.S. battlefield
captives at risk.
The Bush administration has argued that the prisoners are terrorists
and not conventional soldiers in a conventional war -- and therefore
do not fall under the protection of the Geneva Convention. According
to those rules, prisoners can refuse to answer questions during
interrogation and must be repatriated when hostilities cease. The
U.S. considers the captives "unlawful combatants" and wants the
freedom to interrogate and hold those it suspects of terrorist
actions.
According to sources in Washington, citizens of at least 25 countries
make up the population of 158 prisoners now being held at the U.S.
Naval Base at Guant�namo. The countries include Britain, Australia,
France, Belgium, Sweden, Algeria, Yemen, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
A number of countries have hinted -- or directly implied -- that they
have jurisdiction over their own citizens. The interior minister of
Saudi Arabia, Prince Nayef, said his government did not know the
charges against its citizens, only that nearly 100 of them had been
arrested in Afghanistan. He said that Saudi authorities are asking
that they be handed over for interrogation.
Critics say the United States is playing with the definition of war
to suit its own political purposes. Kenneth Roth, Executive Director
of Human Rights Watch, said that Washington "cannot choose to wage
war in Afghanistan with guns, bombs and soldiers, and then assert
that the laws of war do not apply."
*ISRAELI TROOPS RAID PALESTINIAN TOWN
Bethlehem, January 29 (RHC)--Israeli troops raided a Palestinian
town in the West Bank on Tuesday, as international criticism of
Washington's position in the Middle East continues to grow.
Israeli tanks and troops came under fire from Palestinians as they
entered the town of Irtas, located just south of Bethlehem, around
3:30 in the morning. According to reports from the area, four
Palestinians were wounded during the raid. Tel Aviv said its troops
withdrew from the town several hours later.
The increased violence comes at the same time that criticism of U.S.
policy in the region is being heard around the world. Washington has
threatened to cut Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat out of the picture
altogether, or at least isolate the Palestine National Authority.
In Brussels, foreign ministers from nations of the European Union
have urged Israel and the United States not to weaken the Palestinian
Authority, which they said should also do its part to dismantle
so-called "terrorist networks."
Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh sharply criticized Washington for
publicly siding with Tel Aviv, saying that such actions are
"dangerous" and could only exacerbate regional tensions.
Washington also came under pressure from Arab countries. A Saudi
newspaper reports that Jordan's King Abdullah -- during a visit to
Washington later this week -- would warn the U.S. president of the
dangers of suspending contacts with the Palestinians. The newspaper
also said that Arab states planned to send a strongly worded message
to Washington, saying that U.S. interests in the Arab world were at
risk if it did not stop Israeli attacks on Palestinians.
And in an interview published in Tuesday morning's edition of The New
York Times, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah criticized what he
called Washington's indefensible position with regard to the Middle
East.
*Viewpont: CUBA AND HONDURAS RENEW RELATIONS
Cuba's adversaries, who are bent on isolating the island, were
surprised and irritated over the news that Havana and the government
of Honduras' outgoing president, Carlos Flores, have reestablished
relations.
Among the personalities to first register their disappointment over
the sovereign act of Tegucigalpa, was El Salvador's president,
Francisco Flores, who seems to be more concerned over the situation
in Cuba than in his own country, where he has been harshly
criticized for his questionable handling of international relief
money donated to assist the victims of last year's earthquakes.
Salvadoran social organizations have demanded more openness in the
distribution of foreign assistance, because a year after the
earthquakes, many made homeless by the disasters are still waiting
for financial assistance to reconstruct their homes.
Nevertheless, the announcement of the reestablishment of diplomatic
relations between Tegucigalpa and Havana was hailed by other social
and political figures in Honduras and other Central American nations.
The government of Ricardo Maduro, which will assume the presidency on
Sunday, announced that it will respect Flores Facusse's decision and
stressed that the administration will maintain its new links with
Cuba.
Since the Honduran decision, El Salvador stands alone in Latin
America in maintaining an artificial distance with Cuba, since Costa
Rica has relations at the consular level.
The initiative of outgoing Honduran president, Carlos Flores Facusse,
supported by Madura, opens the way for more exchanges with Cuba --
exchanges that had already begun to take form starting in l998, when
Hurricane Mitch devastated Honduran territory, leaving some 23,000
deaths, injuries and homeless.
After that natural disaster, Cuba sent hundreds of medical personnel
to help out and today, under an agreement with the government, a
brigade of 150 doctors is working in remote areas with difficult
access, where there is a great need for medical care.
And the work of these health professionals will continue thanks to
the training in Havana's Latin American Medical School, where 500
young Hondurans are studying medicine completely free of charge.
Cuba and Honduras are also engaged in trade, thus far modest in terms
of volume, but the Interests Sections in both capitals are working to
expand it. In order to facilitate economic cooperation with Cuba, the
new Honduran authorities will rely on an investment promotion and
protection agreement signed in August of the year 2001.
The two parts will certainly examine the possibility of establishing
sea links by which to transport merchandise between their countries.
Projections of friendship and cooperation sparked by the renewal of
diplomatic relations between Cuba and Honduras will certainly foment
new economic exchange for the benefit of both countries.
When some exhibit reticence when faced with the peoples of Latin
America developing closer ties, it reveals political blindness, and a
lack of understanding of history and tradition and a debt of loyal
obsequiousness to powerful neighbors.
(c) 2002 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved.
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