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Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2001 23:45:04 -0500
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Subject: Radio Havana Cuba-12 December 2001
Radio Havana Cuba-12 December 2001
Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit
Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 12 December 2001
.
*FIDEL SAYS FREE TRADE SHOULD INCLUDE PROTECTION FOR SMALL ECONOMIES
*MIAMI 5: GERARDO HERNANDEZ SAYS HIS TRIAL WAS POLITICAL AND A FARCE
*CUBA PLACES EMPHASIS ON PRESERVING GAINS IN NUTRITION AND HEALTH
*EU ANNOUNCES $445,000 MEDICAL DONATION FOR VICTIMS OF HURRICANE MICHELLE
*6th EUROLAT-IS MEETING CONTINUES SESSIONS IN HAVANA
*URUGUAYAN MOVIE WINS BEST FILM AWARD AT LATIN AMERICAN CINEMA FESTIVAL
*HAVANA'S HOTEL PRESIDENTE CELEBRATES 73rd ANNIVERSARY
*ARGENTINE WORKERS GEAR UP FOR 7th GENERAL STRIKE IN TWO YEARS
*ANTHRAX IN US MAIL IDENTICAL TO SAMPLES FROM US ARMY LAB IN UTAH
*DIVISIONS EMERGE BETWEEN BRITAIN AND AMERICA OVER WAR ON TERRORISM
*Viewpoint: CHINA IS FAR FROM BEING ISOLATED OR ISOLATIONIST
.
*FIDEL SAYS FREE TRADE SHOULD INCLUDE PROTECTION FOR SMALL ECONOMIES
Margarita Island, Venezuela, December 12 (RHC) - At the Association
of Caribbean States Summit in Venezuela, Cuban President Fidel Castro
has affirmed that free trade agreements should include protection and
differential treatment for small economies. The Cuban leader noted
that this is precisely what has occurred in Europe's integration
process, in which less developed countries like Spain, Portugal and
Greece were provided enormous credits from their more developed
partners -- including loans that did not have to be paid back.
Taking note of the one-vote difference in the US Congress granting
President George W. Bush powerful, fast track trade negotiation
powers, President Castro warned of the possibility that Washington
could destroy the Caribbean region's integration efforts. Responding
to statements about eliminating trade barriers from free trade
enthusiast Costa Rican President Miguel Angel Rodriguez, the Cuban
leader warned against unbridled free trade that would only deepen the
dependence of poor countries on imports from richer nations.
He said that as we march toward a world in which trade barriers are
disappearing, he wondered how long the beans that Mexicans eat will
be Mexican. Expressions of skepticism concerning the benefits of the
US-backed Free Trade Area of the Americas began with the inaugural
speech of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, though disagreements
emerged over this issue.
What regional leaders did seem to agree on, however, is that there
must be a level playing field in a free trade zone where the average
citizen of the poorest country - Haiti - lives on less than 4 dollars
a day, while the average US citizens earns more than 90 dollars a
day.
The 3rd Summit of the Association of Caribbean States will wind up
today with a declaration defining joint regional development
strategies, with an emphasis on sustainable tourism, and an explicit
condemnation of Washington's blockade against Cuba. The "Margarita
Declaration" will also contain a strong condemnation of the terrorist
attacks against the United States last September 11th.
*MIAMI 5: GERARDO HERNANDEZ SAYS HIS TRIAL WAS POLITICAL AND A FARCE
Miami, December 12 (RHC) -- One of five Cuban patriots wrongly
convicted in the United States of spying has charged that he has been
subjected to a political trial based on ridiculous, inconsistent and
manipulated accusations promoted by the right-wing Cuban exile
community in Florida. A chained Gerardo Hernandez, who could be
sentenced to life imprisonment, said Wednesday before Miami court
judge Joan Lenard that his trial was a propaganda show and
constitutes the most ridiculous accusation of espionage in US
history.
Hernandez and 4 other Cuban patriots to be sentenced this week, have
admitted that they infiltrated right-wing Cuban-American
organizations to prevent terrorist attacks against Cuba - but that at
no time did they try to penetrate US military installations or take
any actions that would jeopardize the US's national security.
Hernandez told the Miami judge that Cuba has the right to defend
itself against the terrorists of Florida, just as the US has the
right to defend itself against the terrorists of Osama Bin Laden.
He blasted US authorities for providing safe haven and defining as
freedom fighters those members of the Cuban-American exile community
who threaten Cuba's national security. The Cuban patriot said the
US's perception of terrorism changed since last September 11, but
that Cuba has lived with this perception since the triumph of the
Cuban Revolution. He concluded saying that just like the American
soldiers in Afghanistan, he's willing to sacrifice his life to
prevent terrorist attacks against his people.
*CUBA PLACES EMPHASIS ON PRESERVING GAINS IN NUTRITION AND HEALTH
Havana, December 12 (RHC)-- Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage has
announced that the island's priorities for the year 2002 would be to
preserve the levels attained over the past several years in areas
such as nutrition and health care.
On Tuesday, Lage participated in a meeting with provincial presidents
of the Cuban parliament and the first secretaries of the Cuban
Communist Party in all 14 provinces and the Isle of Youth. Lage
stated that another priority for the New Year would be to complete
the recovery from damage caused by Hurricane Michelle.
Lage, who is also the executive secretary of the Cuban Council of
Ministers, warned of the difficult circumstances on the island, a
direct consequence of the current world crisis. Lage pointed to the
drop in the international prices of sectors that are essential to the
Cuban economy, including nickel, sugar and tourism -- Cuba's major
hard currency earner.
*EU ANNOUNCES $445,000 MEDICAL DONATION FOR VICTIMS OF HURRICANE MICHELLE
Havana, December 12 (RHC)-- The European Union announced that it
would donate 500.000 Euros ($445,000) worth of medical
assistance to Cuba, which was hit by Hurricane Michelle in early
November. Michelle was the worst storm to hit Cuba in 50 years.
Officials at the EU Coordinating Humanitarian Assistance Office in
Cuba also announced similar donations for Honduras and Nicaragua and
50,000 Euros for Jamaica, countries also affected by the hurricane.
Michelle left ten people dead in Central America and also caused
severe flooding in Jamaica before reaching the strength of a
category-4 storm. It hit Cuba with heavy rain and winds of up to 217
kilometers per hour. In Cuba, the storm left five people dead and
caused severe damage to the island's agriculture. Thousands of family
homes were partially or totally destroyed and various tourist sites
located on the Cuban northern coast were also affected.
The humanitarian aid donation announced by the European Union would
be added to those already sent by other countries, including a third
humanitarian aid shipment sent by the Bolivariana Republic of
Venezuela.
*6th EUROLAT-IS MEETING CONTINUES SESSIONS IN HAVANA
Havana, December 12 (RHC)-- The 6th Meeting between the Europe and
Latin America EUROLAT-IS continues in the Cuban capital. Its goal is
developing projects for the application of state-of-the-art
information and communication technology in important areas related
to the social and economic development in Latin America and Europe.
On Wednesday, experts from 21 nations at the meeting discussed ways
to apply today's information technologies in the area of health in
order to improve the quality of life of people living in Europe and
in Latin America.
Fernando Aldana, Director of the EUROLAT-IS initiative from the
University of Madrid, told AIN news agency that Cuba was chosen for
this important meeting due to its excellent health care system, which
has gained wide recognition all over the world.
EUROLAT-IS is a network sponsored by the Information Society
Technology Program of the European Union and coordinated by the
University of Madrid. It is aimed at boosting cooperation between the
European Union and Latin America, particularly in the area of
business partnerships.
The network currently has 34 member nations, including the 15 members
of the European Union. The other members are Latin American nations,
including Cuba.
*URUGUAYAN MOVIE WINS BEST FILM AWARD AT LATIN AMERICAN CINEMA FESTIVAL
Havana, December 12 (RHC)-- "En la Puta Vida," a Uruguayan movie
about the trafficking of prostitutes from the South American nation
to Europe, has won Radio Havana Cuba's award as best film of the 23rd
International Festival of New Latin American Film that wraps up on
Thursday in Havana.
En la Puta Vida, which in Spanish means both a hooker's life, and
life is a bitch, won Radio Habana Cuba's annual award for the best
picture of the Havana festival. The movie's director, the dynamic
Beatriz Flores Silva, accepted the honor on Tuesday afternoon at
Radio Havana's studios in Central Havana.
A resolution was read explaining that the movie, which stars
Argentinean stage actress, Marians Santangelo, was chosen because of
its sensitive depiction of life in the region and the quality of is
script, acting and technical aspects.
In la Puta Vida is a Uruguayan, Spanish, Belgian and Cuban
co-production, which Flores Silva noted, is also representative of
the region's reality since practically all Latin American film makers
are obliged to look to other nation's for financing.
Uruguayan Director Beatriz Silvia said she was especially pleased to
be honored at the Havana film festival since the Cuban Film
Institute, ICAIC, had lent a hand at a moment when it seemed that the
entire project would have to be scrapped. She said that the Cubans
sent a camera and a crew to Uruguay to help with the filming and
because of the fact she was able to finish In la Puta Vida.
*HAVANA'S HOTEL PRESIDENTE CELEBRATES 73rd ANNIVERSARY
Havana, December 12 (RHC)- An artistic gala, fashion shows, ballet
performances and classical music concerts make up the program for
Havana's Hotel Presidente on the occasion of its 73rd anniversary.
Other activities to mark the new anniversary of the Cuban capital's
four-star hotel include an ethnographic exhibition and a conference
on Cuban Deities by renowned expert Natalia Bolivar.
On December 22nd, the tourist facility will grant its Distinguished
Guest Award to a group of international personalities.
*ARGENTINE WORKERS GEAR UP FOR 7th GENERAL STRIKE IN TWO YEARS
Buenos Aires, December 12 (RHC) -- Argentine labor activists are
gearing up for the seventh nationwide, general strike in 2 years
under the slogan "so that our salaries, our savings, our jobs and our
country are not stolen from us." Amid an ever-deepening financial and
social crisis that multi-billion dollar bailouts by credit
institutions haven't been able to stem, radical labor leader Hugo
Moyano said Argentines have reached their limit.
He said it's not just a problem of unemployment, but also of those
who have jobs and are watching their salaries being confiscated -- in
reference to the limits imposed on bank withdrawals. Thursday's
general strike was preceded today by work stoppages in diverse
economic sectors, street mobilizations, intentional blackouts and
empty pot-banging protests.
All the country's labor organizations have adhered to the strike,
including the largest -- the General Labor Confederation. And
following Thursday's 24-hour strike, labor organizations have vowed
to organize a 48-hour protest next week. At the same time, the
National Front against Poverty -- comprised of workers, students,
church, human rights, social and pensioners organizations -- is
organizing a plebiscite to be held this weekend demanding 380
dollar-a-month unemployment checks for jobless heads of households.
Organizers of the plebiscite say the funds can be easily raised with
contributions from privatized firms and gigantic financial markets,
the elimination of tax exemptions on profit and personal goods, and
the taxing of non-essential consumer items, among other measures. The
National Front against Poverty said it's time that those who have
more contribute more. The voting will take place in schools, work
centers, union locals, churches, parks, bus stations and mobile
ballot boxes.
*ANTHRAX IN US MAIL IDENTICAL TO SAMPLES FROM US ARMY LAB IN UTAH
[Story garbled in transmission; we have filled in the beginning from
the original Baltimore Sun story -- NY Transfer.
[Baltimore, December 12 (RHC)--According to a report today in the
"Baltimore Sun," analysts have found that anthrax sent to US Senators
through the mail is "genetically identical" to spores produced by the
US Army scientists over the last decade at the Dugway Proving Ground
in Utah. The paper also reported that, until higher security was
instituted,] small quantitites of the weapons-grade anthrax was
regularly sent by Federal Express to the army's biodefense center
at Fort Detrick, Maryland. The postal attacks, which killed five
people, sparked tighter security measures.
The newspaper reported that Dugway's production of weapons-grade
anthrax, which has never before been publicly revealed, is apparently
the first by the US government since President Richard Nixon ordered
the US offensive biowarfare program closed in 1969. The article
affirmed that scientists familiar with the anthrax program at Dugway
described it to The Sun on the condition that they not be named.
The letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle reportedly
contained an extraordinary concentration of anthrax, with
one-sixteenth of an ounce having 200 million times the average dose
necessary to kill a person. The Baltimore Sun affirmed that this
concentration exceeds that of weapons-grade anthrax produced by the old US
offensive program or the Soviet biowarfare program. The article
asserted that no evidence linking the Dugway anthrax to the attacks
has been made public, and that due to the secrecy of the Dugway
program, it may never be made public.
*DIVISIONS EMERGE BETWEEN BRITAIN AND AMERICA OVER WAR ON TERRORISM
London, December 12 (RHC) -- Divisions are reportedly emerging
between Britain and America over the war on terrorism. The British
news daily "The Guardian" reported Wednesday that it has taken
Britain's top military officer to say publicly what may seem obvious
but which ministers do not like being reminded of. In what is being
called a candid speech last Monday night, British Admiral Sir Michael
Boyce, chief of the defense staff, said the so-called war on
terrorism can't be won by bombing.
Boyce warned that Osama Bin Laden's Al Qaida network remained a
fielded, resourced, dedicated and essentially autonomous terrorist
force quite capable of another September 11 atrocity, and the
temptation to use greater force with less constraint and less
proportionality could simply radicalize opinion in the Islamic world
in favor of Al Qaida. According to "The Guardian" article "A warning
shot across the bows," Boyce was merely echoing what many senior
officers in the armed forces have been agonizing over even before
September 11.
Britain's top military official said the international community must
attack the causes, not the symptoms of terrorism, that there must be
a battle for hearts and minds. But as "The Guardian" noted, he did
not mention the presence of American bases in Saudi Arabia or
America's failure to apply pressure on Israel to recognize a
Palestinian state, which the news daily called a central issue raised
still only in private by senior officials in the Defense Ministry and
the Foreign Office.
*Viewpoint: CHINA IS FAR FROM BEING ISOLATED OR ISOLATIONIST
The Great Wall of China is today a simple reminder of days gone by.
It no longer symbolizes China's isolation from the rest of the world
for this extremely productive and heterogeneous nation is extending
its cultural, commercial and political exchanges far beyond the other
side of the wall.
Beijing this year was designated by the Olympic Committee as the host
for the next Olympic Games in 2008 and on Tuesday the giant Asian
nation was incorporated into the World Trade Organization.
China is now one of the ten principal information technology powers
on the planet - an industry that represents 19% of the nation's GDP
at $120 billion. It's ability in this field is growing so rapidly
that it is impossible for the rest of the world to ignore.
Important changes are being made to its heavy industries - especially
in coal, metals, petro-chemicals, construction materials, textiles
and sugar production.
Consumer spending and improvements are happening within the country
with new supermarket chains opening and high-efficiency stores
serving clients with modern, international products. One of the more
successful efforts of the government to improve the economy has been
its campaign against corruption as well as recognizing the need to
change the old and inefficient system.
China clearly has no intention of returning to past isolation and is
forging a very definite path toward integration with the
international community. The country's phenomenal historical gifts to
humanity - from gunpowder to the wheelbarrow - will no doubt continue
into the future. It's own remarkable economic development proves that
it has the ability to bring great contributions to the world's
economy.
The Great Wall is a good place for a stroll. A good place to
contemplate the bridge it now serves to bring together the rest of
the world's cultures with that of its creator.
(c) 2001 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved.
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