CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from Radio Havana Cuba's news service for Wednesday, June 17, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- CUBA SUPPORTS CREATION OF AN INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT THAT IS IMPARTIAL, INDEPENDENT AND EFFICIENT 2.- CUBA'S ACHIEVEMENTS IN EDUCATION ARE UNPRECEDENTED FOR AN UNDERDEVELOPED COUNTRY 3.- WASHINGTON TO LIFT RESTRICTIONS ON CUBAN COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS OVER U.S. TERRITORY 4.- SECOND WORLD ENCOUNTER ON SPECIAL EDUCATION UNDERWAY IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL 5.- SECOND HISPANIC-AMERICAN SYMPOSIUM ON MEDICAL TELECONFERENCING MEETS IN HAVANA 6.- CONFERENCE OF U.S. AND CUBAN PHILOSOPHERS CONTINUES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAVANA 7.- CUBA-SPAIN JOINT COOPERATION COMMISSION TO BEGIN MEETING THURSDAY IN MADRID CUBA SUPPORTS CREATION OF AN INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT THAT IS IMPARTIAL, INDEPENDENT AND EFFICIENT Rome, June 17(RHC)-- At the on-going Conference on the Creation of an International Criminal Court, Cuba's representative -- Jose Peraza Chapeau -- said today that Cuba is in favor of the rule of law because he was speaking "in the name of a people who are the victims of injustice." The Cuban delegate reminded the representatives of more than 150 nations present at the conference that for nearly 40 years now, the Cuban people have been subjected to a genocidal economic war that, through the imposition of hunger and disease, is attempting to force the country to change a socio-economic system chosen in 1959 within the framework of Cuba's right to self-determination. Peraza Chapeau, Director of the Cuban Foreign Ministry's Juridical Department, said Cuba supports the creation of an International Criminal Court that is impartial, independent and efficient. He said the Court should be competent in judging crimes like genocide, aggression, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Cuban official added his voice to those of other countries that insist that the Court should not be an instrument to intervene in the internal affairs of other nations. He said the International Criminal Court should not act when these crimes are recognized by national courts, nor when national courts demonstrate efficiency and an interest in pursuing the perpetrators. Peraza Chapeau stressed that, above all, the Court should be a preventive instrument and not merely repressive. The Cuban Foreign Ministry official also came out in favor of an International Criminal Court that is independent of the United Nations Security Council. Most of the five permanent members of the Security Council -- each with veto power -- want the Court to be subordinated to this UN agency. But human rights groups and non-governmental organizations have unanimously pointed out that any International Criminal Court under a Security Council mandate would lack independence and impartiality. CUBA'S ACHIEVEMENTS IN EDUCATION ARE UNPRECEDENTED FOR AN UNDERDEVELOPED COUNTRY Havana, June 17(RHC)-- As another school year winds up in Cuba, the news daily Granma today highlighted the country's remarkable achievements in the sphere of education, which is free of charge and available to all Cuban children, adolescents and adults. A full-page editorial in today's edition of the newspaper called those achievements "unprecedented for an underdeveloped country." The editorial stated that those achievements "are much more relevant when taking into consideration the fact that no other underdeveloped country has been subjected to nearly 40 years of a brutal blockade whose consequences are felt in every school and every classroom." In comparison, continued the Granma editorial, the governments of Latin America have set the goal of 100 percent enrollment in elementary school and 75 percent enrollment in junior high school by -- amazingly -- the year 2010. The Cuban newspaper points out that despite the nice speeches and good intentions of some of the region's leaders and institutions, many see this goal as extremely difficult at best, particularly if the neo-liberal, free market model continues unabated. Eleven million Latin American children are forced to work to survive, while 65 percent of elementary school children in the region do not make it to the 5th grade. The editorial points out that according to conservative estimates, Latin America and the Caribbean register a 13 percent illiteracy rate -- which translates into 43 million people. In comparison, the editorial in the Cuban daily stresses that 99.7 percent of Cuba's children between ages 6 and 11 are in school, with 94.5 percent of children between ages 12 and 14. 98.2 percent of Cuban children who graduate from the 9th grade continue on to high school. Today's editorial in Granma newspaper points to the 34,000 Cuban workers in the field of science and the islands's 222 research centers. More than 531,000 Cubans have graduated from university in the country's 45 institutes of higher education. Cuba, continues the editorial, has the highest rate of teachers per capita in the world, with one for every 42 inhabitants. 74 percent of Cuban teachers in elementary schools and more than 94 percent in junior high schools either have university degrees or are in the process of obtaining them. The editorial points out that according to UNESCO, the average teacher-student ratio internationally is one teacher for every 103 inhabitants, adding that two-thirds of these teachers do not have the necessary training. Today's edition of the Cuban daily Granma stressed that in order for Cuba to attain these achievements, "there first had to be a social revolution." WASHINGTON TO LIFT RESTRICTIONS ON CUBAN COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS OVER U.S. TERRITORY Miami, June 17(RHC)-- Washington is planning to lift restrictions on Cuban commercial flights over U.S. territory, according to today's edition of The Miami Herald. Pointing out that the move would end a long dispute between Washington and Havana, the Florida daily reported that the decision would come just days before a ruling on the issue in the International Civil Aviation Organization, the ICAO. According to The Miami Herald, U.S. Undersecretary of State Thomas Pickering notified Congress on Tuesday that Cuba's demand before the ICAO would probably receive a favorable ruling and that Washington's action would avoid a vote within the organization. A vote is also expected in coming months at the United Nations. Cuba initiated its claim at the ICAO two years ago, charging that Washington is violating international regulations by prohibiting Cuban commercial flights over U.S. territory en route to the Canadian cities of Toronto and Montreal. The Cuban government stated at the time that while Cuba allows numerous U.S. commercial airlines to use Cuban air corridors en route to Latin American and Caribbean countries, Cuba was forced to spend millions of dollars on fuel when forced to deviate its flights over the Atlantic Ocean when heading to or returning from eastern Canada. SECOND WORLD ENCOUNTER ON SPECIAL EDUCATION UNDERWAY IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, June 17(RHC)-- The Second World Encounter on Special Education was inaugurated on Wednesday at Havana's Karl Marx Theater with the participation of some 1500 foreign and national delegates. Cuba was selected last year to host the event by the World Association of Special Education. Cuba has a great deal of experience in special education. There are 425 special schools throughout the island where 15,000 teachers train some 57,000 handicapped students free of charge. Among other forums that will take place are the 7th Latin American Scientific Conference as well as the International Symposium on Kindergarten Education which will begin tomorrow, Thursday, in Havana's Convention Center with nine working commissions and round tables. According to the island's educational authorities, the World Association of Special Education honors Cuba with the event, committing them to do more -- not only for the children but for their families and the Cuban people in general. Cuba will also continue to work for the needs of the world's children, particularly in the Third World. SECOND HISPANIC-AMERICAN SYMPOSIUM ON MEDICAL TELECONFERENCING MEETS IN HAVANA Havana, June 17(RHC)-- Experts from numerous countries around the world are attending the Second Hispanic-American Symposium on Medical Teleconferencing here in the Cuban capital. Cuban Minister of Communications Brigade General Silvano Colas inaugurated the event, announcing that the island's telecommunications firm, ETECSA, will modernize and expand the country's communications network. He added that the old system is being replaced by new, digital technology. On Wednesday, participants of the symposium were able to watch a live television transmission of a surgical procedure in Norway. The TV images of the first shared operation between Cuba and Norway were seen in Havana, as well as the central city of Santa Clara and eastern Santiago de Cuba. Delegates at the conference witnessed and analyzed tissue samples through a microscope via satellite. CONFERENCE OF U.S. AND CUBAN PHILOSOPHERS CONTINUES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAVANA Havana, June 17(RHC)-- Ethics, philosophical thought, gender and race were among some of the issues that were discussed during the third day of the 10th Conference of North American and Cuban Philosophers and Social Scientists, taking place at the University of Havana. The conference, with the participation of more than 60 professors and experts from the U.S. Radical Philosophers Association, was inaugurated by the President of the Cuban Parliament Ricardo Alarcon on Monday. Participants at the conference are also visiting places of social, economic and historic interest. CUBA-SPAIN JOINT COOPERATION COMMISSION TO BEGIN MEETING THURSDAY IN MADRID Havana, June 17(RHC)-- A meeting of the Cuba-Spain Joint Cooperation Commission is set to begin on Thursday in Madrid. Delegations from both countries are expected to discuss the situation and development of bilateral exchange. Cuban Deputy Minister for Foreign Investment Raul Taladrid told journalists in Havana that Cuba and Spain are working to improve exchanges in various areas of the economy. One such joint project is the hydraulic system in Havana's Albear aqueduct, which currently supplies water to 600,000 inhabitants in the Cuban capital. [c] 1998, Radio Habana Cuba All rights reserved Articles cannot be reproduced, reprinted or published in any system without the consent of RHC. This prohibition includes the distribution of this material via Usenet News, "bulletin board" services, e-mail lists, print media, radio and television. For the complete RADIO HAVANA CUBA NEWSCAST and other features, please write for our daily broadcast schedule. We welcome your comments and suggestions. For further information, contact us at: Postal Address: Radio Havana Cuba P.O.Box 6240 Havana, Cuba Telephone: (53) (7) 791053 Fax: (53) (7) 795007 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org WWW: http://www.radiohc.org