Fidel Castro's remarks first day of Summit
 

 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

 

Radio Havana Cuba brings you the remarks by Cuban President Fidel castro, on
the first session of the Summit of leaders of Latin America, the Caribbean,
and the European Union. Rio de Janeiro, June 28, 1999.

Text follows:

There is a political issue of utmost importance that I have to mention and
it has to do with NATO's new strategic concept. Let me mention four
paragraphs of that document.

One:  In order to enhance peace and stability in Europe and more broadly,
the European Allies are strengthening their capacity for action, which
includes increasing their military power.

Two: Security of the Alliance remains subject to a wide variety of military
and non-military risks.  These risks include uncertainty and instability in
and around the Euro-Atlantic area and the possibility of regional crises on
the periphery of the Alliance

Three: Greater numbers of military forces will be available at appropriate
levels of readiness to sustain prolonged operations, whether within or
outside of Alliance territory,

Four: It's quite probable that risks to the security of the Alliance could
stem from regional and ethnic conflicts or other crisis taking place beyond
the territories of the Alliance as well as the proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction.

At this point I would like to make three brief reflections and raise some
questions.

One: If possible, we would like to get some clarification if the countries
of Latin America and the Caribbean are considered to be within that
Euro-Atlantic periphery described by NATO.

Two: After much debate, the European Union, has supported the declaration of
this Summit, which reads: "This strategic association is based on the full
respect of international law and on the purposes and principles contained in
the United Nations Charter, the principle of non-intervention, respect for
sovereignty, the equality among states and non-interference." Does this mean
that the United States will also commit itself to respect the principles
covered in this accord approved by their Allies?  How will Europe react if
one day the United States, on its own, decides to launch bombs and missiles,
under any pretext, against any of the Latin American and Caribbean countries
represented here?

 Three: Everyone knows, for example, that Israel has stockpiled hundreds of
nuclear weapons, manufactured with Western support.  This situation has been
surrounded by a strange and airtight silence.

Could this mean that any day NATO -- based on the fourth point quoted
earlier, in light of secret proliferation and massive production of weapons
of mass destruction -- might begin to drop thousands of bombs on Jerusalem,
Tel Aviv and other Israeli and Palestinian cities, destroying electrical
systems, factories, highways and all of the essential infrastructure of the
people, killing tens of thousands of innocent civilians and threatening
their very existence?  Could this be the civilized solution to similar
problems?  How could we be assured that this would not turn into a nuclear
conflict?  Exactly where will this new and unsupportable doctrine of NATO
take us?

After having expressed only a brief idea with respect to this very delicate
issue, I have nothing more to say.  My apologies.  Thank you very much.
 

           [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-25377
1999-Jun-29 18:47:12