Radio Havana Cuba, Thursday, February 18, 1999 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit 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 Thursday, February 18, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBA HAS EVERY RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF FROM THE AGGRESSIVE POLICIES OF U.S. IMPERIALISM 2.- CUBANS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE EXPRESS SATISFACTION WITH NEW MODIFICATIONS OF CRIMINAL CODE 3.- PANAMANIAN AND PERUVIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS WRAP UP VISITS 4.- CUBA AND NEW ZEALAND ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS 5.- MEMBERS OF U.S. CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS ARRIVE IN HAVANA 6.- PRESIDENT OF THE LATIN AMERICAN EPISCOPAL COUNCIL EXPRESSES APPRECIATION FOR CUBAN MEDICAL PERSONNEL IN CENTRAL AMERICA 7.- LATIN AMERICAN INTEGRATION ASSOCIATION SAYS IMPORTANT ADVANCES HAVE BEEN MADE FOR CUBA'S MEMBERSHIP 8.- FEDERATION OF CUBAN WOMEN AWARDS PANAMANIAN FIRST LADY FOR HER CONTRIBUTION TO WOMEN'S DEVELOPMENT CUBA HAS EVERY RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF FROM THE AGGRESSIVE POLICIES OF U.S. IMPERIALISM Havana, February 18(RHC)-- The President of Cuba's Parliament, Ricardo Alarcon, has insisted that Cuba has every right to defend itself from the aggressive policies of U.S. imperialism. During a news conference late Wednesday before local and foreign media correspondents, Alarcon staunchly defended Cuba's new laws against so-called independent Cuban journalists who place themselves at the service of Washington's constant war and slander campaign against Cuba. The Cuban official stated that Cuba finds itself in a unique situation, pointing out that the island is the only country in the world suffering from a constant economic and ideological war launched by the most powerful country in the world. He said Cuba has been the victim of U.S. aggression since the Spring of 1959, citing the intensification of Washington's war against Cuba from the Torricceli and Helms-Burton Laws to the U.S. 1999 federal budget that included anti-Cuba amendments. Alarcon charged that long years of experience have taught Cuba that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency has been behind all of the external and internal opposition to Cuba's revolutionary government and that the only true opposition to Cuba's social, economic and political system has been the United States itself. The president of Cuba's National Assembly of People's Power pointed out that according to the U.S. media, 379 American citizens have been fined as a result of U.S. laws that restrict contact with Cuban authorities or citizens. Alarcon blasted foreign media correspondents who insist on ignoring the reality of Washington's aggressive, anti-Cuba policies, adopting an extremely critical attitude towards Cuba -- the victim -- and maintaining extreme discretion with respect to the United States -- the victimizer. The Cuban official said that throughout history, many countries including the United States, have adopted laws to protect their sovereignty and national interests. In this way, Alarcon came out in defense of the Cuban legislature's adoption of stiff penalties against the so-called Cuban dissidents who -- on the payroll of the U.S. government -- participate in disinformation campaigns against Cuba and who defend anti-Cuba measures like Washington's Helms-Burton Law. CUBANS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE EXPRESS SATISFACTION WITH NEW MODIFICATIONS OF CRIMINAL CODE Havana, February 18(RHC)-- Cubans from all walks of life have expressed their satisfaction with the new modifications of the island's criminal code. Thursday's edition of the daily Granma published brief interviews with a number of Havana residents. Mercedes Gonzalez Perez, a grade school teacher in the Cuban capital, stated that her school children deserve a secure future and that the new laws are designed to preserve the achievements of the Cuban Revolution. A family doctor from the Havana neighborhood of Plaza, Doctor Ramon San Cristobal Diaz, stated that many of his patients have been talking about the recent rise in crime and have requested that authorities get tough on criminals. Alberto Ramirez, a letter carrier in the Cuban capital, told Granma newspaper that the new measures should have been instituted before now. He emphasized that crimes are now being committed in Cuba that haven't been seen since the triumph of the Revolution 40 years ago. And he added that nearly everyone on his mail route has been commenting favorably about the new laws. Jose Hernandez Llanes, a bus driver in the Havana neighborhood of Nuevo Cerro, said that the passage of new legislation to fight crime will help defend the rights of the working class. He called on his representatives in the Cuban Parliament to continue their good work, saying that the most important things now is that the new laws are enforced. And a retired construction worker, Juan Arguelles Fernandez, told Granma that he supported the new changes to the island's criminal code, calling them long overdue. He said that criminals will think twice -- maybe three times -- before committing illegal actions. And he added that with the implementation of the new measures, he was convinced that the streets of Havana and other Cuban cities will be safer. PANAMANIAN AND PERUVIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS WRAP UP VISITS Havana, February 18(RHC)-- The foreign ministers of Panama and Peru both ended their official visits to Cuba on Wednesday. Panamanian Foreign Minister Jorge Ritter met with Cuban President Fidel Castro shortly before concluding his visit. Ritter told reporters that their conservation centered on the Panama Canal, which is scheduled to be turned over to Panamanian jurisdiction by the United States on December 31st this year. Recalling the friendship between the Cuban leader and the late Omar Torrijos, the Panamanian foreign minister emphasized that Cuba gave unconditional support to Panama during negotiations with Washington for the return of the Canal. For his part, Peruvian Foreign Minister Fernando de Trazegnies stressed the importance of regional integration as he wrapped up his official visit to the island. Speaking with reporters shortly before returning to Lima, the Peruvian foreign minister stated that Latin America must be "one continent and one people." Peru's top diplomat led an important delegation of business representatives from his country and signed a number of bilateral agreements with Cuban authorities during his stay. CUBA AND NEW ZEALAND ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS Havana, February 18(RHC)-- Cuba and New Zealand have decided to formalize diplomatic relations with the exchange of notes between the two countries' respective embassies. The announcement follows a series of contacts between representatives of Havana and Wellington at United Nations headquarters in New York City. Thursday's edition of the Cuban news daily Granma published a front-page article in which New Zealand was described as one of Cuba's principal trading partners in Asia and the Pacific. New Zealand has become the 167th country to establish diplomatic relations with Cuba. MEMBERS OF U.S. CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS ARRIVE IN HAVANA Havana, February 18(RHC)-- A delegation of representatives from the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus arrived in Havana on Wednesday for a working visit. Upon the group's arrival at Jose Marti International Airport, Maxine Waters, a Democratic representative from the State of California, stated that one of the principal objectives of the visit is to see, first- hand, the effects of Washington's economic blockade against the island. The delegation is made up of Representatives Sheila Jackson from Texas, Barbara Lee of California, Julie Carson from Indiana, Gregory Meeks from New York and Earl Hilliard of Alabama. Representative Maxine Waters, who is heading the delegation, stated that many of the congressional representatives already have some information about Cuba. But she hoped that additional facts would help the Black Caucus take a leading role in introducing legislation to change current U.S. policies toward Cuba. Jorge Lezcano, President of the International Relations Commission of the Cuban Parliament, received the U.S. congressional representatives upon their arrival in Havana. Lezcano told reporters that the visiting members of the Congressional Black Caucus plan to meet with Cuban lawmakers and other government officials. He added that during their stay on the island, the U.S. delegation will also visit places of cultural and historic interest. PRESIDENT OF THE LATIN AMERICAN EPISCOPAL COUNCIL EXPRESSES APPRECIATION FOR CUBAN MEDICAL PERSONNEL IN CENTRAL AMERICA Havana, February 18(RHC)-- The President of the Latin American Episcopal Council and Archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Oscar Rodriguez Madariaga, expressed his appreciation for the aid of Cuban medical personnel in Central America -- a gesture which the Archbishop characterized as "solidarity from the poor, for the poor." He also praised the Cuban government's decision to pardon Nicaragua's debt with the island. The archbishop of Tegucigalpa added that Latin America is increasingly working towards integration to confront poverty and the foreign debt -- issues that were discussed in Havana during the recent Inter-American Bishops Meeting. The Honduran religious leader said that "the plagues of our continent are drug-trafficking and complicity of the international financial institutions, which try to hide the fact that their money is made by death and exploitation." LATIN AMERICAN INTEGRATION ASSOCIATION SAYS IMPORTANT ADVANCES HAVE BEEN MADE FOR CUBA'S MEMBERSHIP Montevideo, February 18(RHC)-- The President of the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI), Antonio Antunez, said in Montevideo that important advances have been made for Cuba's membership in the regional institution. Antunez pointed out that Cuba is ready to wind up one of the requirements for membership in ALADI, consisting of defining tariffs for Bolivia, Ecuador and Paraguay and the market opening with those economically less-developed countries. Sources close to the regional organization believe that by April this year, the membership process will have concluded. Trade between Cuba and the Latin American Integration Association is primarily with Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela. FEDERATION OF CUBAN WOMEN AWARDS PANAMANIAN FIRST LADY FOR HER CONTRIBUTION TO WOMEN'S DEVELOPMENT Havana, February 18(RHC)-- The Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) has awarded Panama's First Lady, Dora Boyd de Perez, the "23rd of August Medal" for her contribution to the development of women. The wife of Panamanian President Ernesto Perez Valladares is in Havana for a brief visit, which will include a meeting with the Secretariat of the FMC and that organization's special commissions. The Panamanian first lady will also sign several accords with the Ministry of Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation during her stay on the island. Accompanying Dora Boyd de Perez is the Minister for the Attention of Women, Children, Youth and the Family, Leonor Calderon. [c] 1999, Radio Habana Cuba All rights reserved Articles cannot be reproduced, reprinted or published in any system without the consent of RHC. 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