Radio Havana Cuba, Wednesday, February 17, 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 Wednesday, February 17, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT RICARDO ALARCON HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF NEW MODIFICATIONS IN THE CRIMINAL CODE 2.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO GATHERS WITH CATHOLIC BISHOPS FROM LATIN AMERICA AND THE UNITED STATES 3.- DEBATE CONTINUES OVER FROZEN FUNDS TO CUBAN TELEPHONE COMPANY 4.- TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CRAFTS MINISTER FROM BURKINA FASO ENDS VISIT TO CUBA 5.- PANAMA'S FOREIGN MINISTER OFFERS LECTURE ON THE PANAMA CANAL 6.- CUBA CHARACTERIZES THE EVER-GROWING GAP BETWEEN RICH AND POOR AS IRREFUTABLE CUBAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT RICARDO ALARCON HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF NEW MODIFICATIONS IN THE CRIMINAL CODE Havana, February 17(RHC)-- The President of Cuba's Parliament Ricardo Alarcon has stated that the new laws approved in this week's extraordinary legislative session "establish a commitment to fight crime and will demonstrate the Cuban people's capacity to defeat Washington's destabilizing campaign against the island." Cuban lawmakers modified 25 of the nearly 3550 articles of the island's penal code, in response to the increase in criminal activities over the last few years as the Caribbean island opened up to foreign business and tourism. The new legislation described crime as "a social phenomenon that poses the greatest danger to the stability of the nation." The modifications in Cuba's criminal code toughened penalties for drug-trafficking, sexual procurement (also known as pimping), illegal possession of weapons, violent robberies and the corruption of minors. The death penalty was established for the production, sale, trafficking, distribution and illegal possession of drugs in cases where international drug smuggling operations were involved or where the offender was a government official or officer. Offenders who involved minors under 16 years of age in drug activities would also be punished with the death penalty. Capital punishment -- which already existed in Cuba's criminal code for abominable cases of murder -- was also introduced for the corruption of minors in an effort to stop the activities of sex offenders and pornographers who use children. Violent robberies using firearms or involving attacks on police or security officers were also made punishable by death. Life imprisonment -- a new penalty in the Cuban penal code, where the maximum term was previously 30 years -- was introduced for violent robberies or assaults. Life imprisonment will also be applied to smugglers of illegal immigrants in cases where violence is used or where people's lives are put at risk. Cuba's Justice Minister Roberto Diaz Sotolongo also called on the government to take steps to curb illegal cattle rustling and slaughter on the island -- although specific measures against this crime were not included in the modification of the criminal code. He pointed out that last year alone, more than 30,000 head of cattle were illegal killed. Cuban lawmakers also adopted measures against Washington's stepped-up economic and ideological war against Cuba as provided for in the Torricelli and Helms-Burton Laws, which stipulate the granting of financial aid to individuals inside Cuba for counterrevolutionary activities. In serious cases of subversive disinformation, collaboration with media outlets systematically attacking Cuba and receiving financial assistance from abroad to carry out Washington's aid to destroy the Cuban Revolution, offenders can receive up to 20 years in prison. CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO GATHERS WITH CATHOLIC BISHOPS FROM LATIN AMERICA AND THE UNITED STATES Havana, February 17(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro met late Tuesday evening with the participants of the Inter- American Bishop's Meeting, which concluded yesterday in Havana. The Cuban leader met with the prelates for four hours at Havana's Revolution Palace. The participants also met with Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage, the President of the Cuban Parliament Ricardo Alarcon, Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina and the head of Religious Affairs of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party, Caridad Diego. The two-day meeting, which was held in Cuba for the first time, was attended by 31 cardinals, bishops, archbishops and priests, representatives from the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in the U.S. and Canada as well as the Latin American Episcopal Conference. Participants at the meeting studied the final document of the Synod of the Americas, held at the Vatican in 1997 -- expressing the Catholic Church's views on poverty, foreign debt and other issues related to exploitation. Meanwhile, the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM) reiterated its condemnation of Washington's blockade against Cuba. CELAM's President, who serves as the Honduran capital's archbishop, Monsignor Oscar Rodriguez Madariaga, said that the U.S. blockade of Cuba "constitutes a use of force that only provokes suffering among the people." Tegucigalpa's archbishop said that the only blockade that should be implemented is on the sale of weapons which are an instrument of death and wastes important resources that could be earmarked for development. DEBATE CONTINUES OVER FROZEN FUNDS TO CUBAN TELEPHONE COMPANY Miami, February 17(RHC)-- The U.S. State Department is attempting to prevent the confiscation of funds to be paid to the Cuban Telephone Company, known by its Spanish acronym ETECSA. In 1997, U.S. federal judge James Lawrence King granted a 187 million dollar compensation to the family members of four Cuban-Americans whose aircraft were shot down by the Cuban Air Force after repeatedly violating the island's territorial airspace. The aircraft belonged to the right-wing organization "Brothers to the Rescue" -- made up of individuals who participated in the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion against Cuba -- and had on several occasions buzzed the Cuban capital, dropping anti-government leaflets. Several U.S. telephone companies owe Cuba half the proceeds -- nearly 75 million dollars -- for long-distance service between the United States and the island. Late Tuesday, State Department spokesman James Foley insisted that ETECSA is an entity separate from the Cuban government and that U.S. Treasury Department norms do not allow the retention of payments for compensation. Cuba has repeatedly warned that if the debt is not paid to Havana, long-distance service to the United States will be suspended. TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CRAFTS MINISTER FROM BURKINA FASO ENDS VISIT TO CUBA Havana, February 17(RHC)-- Burkina Faso's Trade, Industry and Crafts Minister, Idrissa Zampeadegre, and a delegation from that African nation have wound up a four-day visit to Cuba. The African leader arrived in Havana last Saturday at the invitation of Cuba's Culture Minister Abel Prieto. He took part in the International Arts and Crafts Fair, Fiart '99 at Havana's Pabexpo Exhibition Hall. During the Burkina Faso official's visit to the island, he toured places of historic, scientific, and economic interest and met with numerous Cuban government officials. Idrissa Zampadegre told journalists his visit to Cuba helped him get a first-hand look at the island's development and was aimed at establishing future accords between both nations. PANAMA'S FOREIGN MINISTER OFFERS LECTURE ON THE PANAMA CANAL Havana, February 17(RHC)-- The great challenge ahead is to insure that the Panamanian people benefit from the Canal, according to Panama's Foreign Minister Jorge Ritter during a conference on Tuesday at Cuba's Foreign Ministry. According to the 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaty, on December 31st of this year, Washington will hand over the canal to the Panamanian government. The Panamanian foreign minister pointed out that the most important issue is not the return of the Canal but dismantling a military structure surrounding the canal which is a real threat to the dignity of Latin American sovereignty. He added that for the Panamanian people, it is more than just a legal issue. He affirmed that the end of the U.S. military presence is of utmost importance, and gave as an example the fact that Howard Air Force Base is the largest military installation outside U.S. territory and is as large as Panama City. CUBA CHARACTERIZES THE EVER-GROWING GAP BETWEEN RICH AND POOR AS IRREFUTABLE New York, February 17(RHC)-- Cuba characterized the ever- growing gap between rich and the poor during the 1990's as irrefutable and added that the goal for social development seems far away. Cuba's alternate ambassador to the United Nations, Rafael Dausa -- speaking before a special UN meeting -- stressed that neo-liberal globalization has greatly increased poverty. Participating in the meeting of the Social Development Commission, which is analyzing the results of the World Summit held in Copenhagen four years ago, the Cuban official said that important efforts have been made in favor of the agreements in Denmark. Referring to the meeting's action plan, Dausa said that political willingness remains in place, but that resources are wasted as a consequence of unequal distribution. The Cuban official called for the establishment of an international forum capable of facilitating economic growth and sustainable development. [c] 1999, 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 rhc-eng-17309 1999-Feb-17 19:49:12