Radio havana Cuba, June 29, 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 Tuesday, June 29, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO CALLS FOR A NEW FINANCIAL SYSTEM THAT IS TRULY RELIABLE, DEMOCRATIC, EQUITABLE AND HUMANE 2.- LEADER OF CUBAN REVOLUTION ISSUES STINGING INDICTMENT AGAINST NATO 3.- BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK EXPRESSES SUPPORT OF CUBA'S FULL INTEGRATION INTO THE CARIBBEAN 4.- EDUCATION MINISTERS CONFERENCE READY TO GET UNDERWAY 5.- CUBA'S INSTITUTE OF HISTORY SUPPORTS DEMAND AGAINST THE U.S. GOVERNMENT FOR 40 YEARS OF ATTACKS AGAINST THE ISLAND 6.- GENERAL SECRETARY OF VIETNAMESE COMMUNIST PARTY WILL VISIT CUBA 7.- CUBAN DELEGATION ATTENDS WORLD SCIENCE CONFERENCE IN BUDAPEST 8.- CUBA COULD BECOME AN IMPORTANT PALM OIL PRODUCER AND EXPORTER CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO CALLS FOR A NEW FINANCIAL SYSTEM THAT IS TRULY RELIABLE, DEMOCRATIC, EQUITABLE AND HUMANE Rio de Janeiro, June 29(RHC)-- Addressing the Latin America- Caribbean-European Union Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Cuban President Fidel Castro stated that rather than a "new financial architecture" for an old and obsolete system, what is needed is to demolish the established financial system down to its very foundations. Upon those foundations, stated the Cuban leader, another financial system should be set up that is truly reliable, democratic, equitable and humane -- conducive to eradicating poverty and saving the world. Referring to the enormous natural and human resources in Latin America and the Caribbean, President Castro asked why then is there so much poverty? Why has so much money been transferred abroad and why is the region staggering under the burden of the foreign debt? The Cuban leader said this region owes over 700 billion U.S. dollars, despite the fact that over the past nine years it has paid 850 billion to service a foreign debt that has not stopped growing for a single year. The leader of the Cuban Revolution told participants at the gathering that today, the former socialist countries of Central and Eastern Europe are demanding huge funds from the European Union. He said Russia, once a superpower, has become part of the Third World with a lower per capita income than that of the CARICOM nations. President Castro said this was not only due to the progressive and continued reduction of Russia's gross domestic product for ten years to almost 50 percent, but also to the plundering of 300 billion dollars which ended up in European banks -- which he sarcastically called "a great triumph for Western political recipes and the market economy." Speaking of other European commitments like the reconstruction of Yugoslavia, the Cuban leader wondered how much money will be left for European Union investments in Latin America and the Caribbean. Fidel Castro said there are certainly neither superior nor inferior races, asking why then are the Latin American and Caribbean nations poor and underdeveloped. He asked, whose fault is it? Perhaps, said the Cuban leader, the millions of natives exterminated in this hemisphere and the slaves who died in shackles over centuries would have answers to those questions. After also speaking of Washington's financial hegemony in today's world -- stating that as master and lord of the institutions associated to the international financial system, the U.S. government can do as it pleases -- President Fidel Castro wound up his speech by saying: "Let's perform the miracle of turning the impossible into the possible." He said we are willing to receive from Europe, with open arms, cooperation without preconditions and solidarity with freedom. The Summit wound up today with the signing of the Rio Declaration, during which 47 Latin American, Caribbean and European heads of state came out against all unilateral and extraterritorial measures that run contrary to international law and free trade. Other important aspects of the Declaration are the recognition of special attention and support for countries with small economies, and the future adoption of favorable measures and conditions for a just and adequate treatment of poor countries that are highly indebted. LEADER OF CUBAN REVOLUTION ISSUES STINGING INDICTMENT AGAINST NATO Rio de Janeiro, June 29(RHC)-- During the inaugural session Monday evening of the Latin America-Caribbean-European Union Summit in Rio De Janeiro, Cuban President Fidel Castro issued a stinging indictment against the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. In what observers called statements that jolted participants at the gathering, the Cuban leader asked whether or not Latin America could be the next victim of NATO's new strategic concept. Fidel Castro questioned the Western military alliance's right to bomb countries outside its zone of influence. He also asked whether or not such actions could lead to a nuclear conflict. In another prominent speech during the inaugural session, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called for a Confederation of Latin American states and defended Cuba's full participation in all regional integration efforts. Chavez asked participants what type of democracy were they defending at the Summit, asserting that in the region false democracies have prevailed -- similar, he added, to what has existed in his own country. The Venezuelan president said the ballot box is not the only democratic mechanism to guarantee social equality and peace -- pointing out that in his country 40 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK EXPRESSES SUPPORT OF CUBA'S FULL INTEGRATION INTO THE CARIBBEAN Rio de Janeiro, June 29(RHC)-- Also at the Rio de Janeiro Summit, British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook has come out in support of Cuba's full integration into the Caribbean. Cook stated Tuesday that Great Britain has many friends in the Caribbean -- in reference to the ten Caribbean members of the Commonwealth -- and that all those friends believe that Cuba could be a driving force for the region's economy. The British foreign secretary said that if Cuba is left behind, then the rest of the region is also left behind. The statements followed Cook's meeting on Sunday with Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque -- termed by observers as London's most important diplomatic effort towards closer relations with Cuba in the past 40 years. The British foreign secretary reiterated London's opposition to unilateral, extraterritorial trade measures -- in reference to Washington's Helms-Burton Law -- and, with respect to human rights in Cuba, stated his country maintains a policy of constructive engagement and dialogue with Havana. In reference to Cuban President Fidel Castro's criticism of NATO -- which was met with absolute silence by participants at the gathering -- Cook said a response was not necessary and that NATO assures the Cuban people that it will not launch an attack against the island. EDUCATION MINISTERS' CONFERENCE READY TO GET UNDERWAY Havana, June 29(RHC)-- The quality of education, its development and integration before the challenges of globalization will be the main theme of the 9th Iberoamerican Conference of Education Ministers to take place Thursday and Friday in the Cuban capital. Cuban Education Minister Luis Ignacio Gomez told journalists that representatives from 20 countries - many of them ministers of education -- have confirmed their attendance. The Cuban official stated that the objective of the event is to analyze and propose cooperation agreements in the education sector as well as approve the Declaration of Havana, which will be presented to the heads of state and governments during the Iberoamerican Summit, scheduled to take place in November in the Cuban capital. CUBA'S INSTITUTE OF HISTORY SUPPORTS DEMAND AGAINST THE U.S. GOVERNMENT FOR 40 YEARS OF ATTACKS AGAINST THE ISLAND Havana, June 29(RHC)-- Professors and workers from Cuba's Institute of History expressed their strong support and approved the charges made by Cuban grassroots organizations against the U.S. government -- demanding more than 181 billion dollars in compensation for 40 years of attacks against the island. The historians reaffirmed their ties to Cuba's past -- a history of fighting and resisting Washington's aggressions and attempts to destroy the Cuban Revolution over the past 40 years. During a meeting at the Cuban Institute of History in Havana, professors and workers pointed out that this legal demand will not take away the pain of the Cuban families that lost loved ones due to U.S. attacks against the Cuban people, but at least the judicial challenge against Washington constitutes a moral and legal recognition of the sacrifices made to defend the island's sovereignty. GENERAL SECRETARY OF VIETNAMESE COMMUNIST PARTY WILL VISIT CUBA Havana, June 29(RHC)-- The General Secretary of Vietnam's Communist Party, Le Ha Phi, will visit Cuba at the invitation of Cuban President Fidel Castro. The visit is aimed at strengthening bilateral and historically friendly ties between both countries as well as the future relations between both socialist nations. CUBAN DELEGATION ATTENDS WORLD SCIENCE CONFERENCE IN BUDAPEST Budapest, June 29(RHC)-- The importance of science to solve urgent social problems was defended on Tuesday by Cuba's Science, Technology and Environment Minister Rosa Elena Simon during an international conference taking place in Budapest, Hungary. The event, sponsored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the International Science Council, is taking place at Budapest's Convention Center. Speaking to Prensa Latina News Agency, the Cuban official explained that the island supports the use of science for the benefit of the people and noted that Cuba has put coherent policies into practice that have had notable results even in the international arena. The Minister of Science, Technology and Environment pointed out some of the excellent figures the island has achieved -- for example, 1.8 scientists and engineers for every 1000 inhabitants and 30,000 workers in the sector. Other priorities for Cuba are that the scientific sector work in sustainable development and that efficient mechanisms are promoted for the transfer of technologies. The World Science Conference in Budapest will wind up on Thursday. CUBA COULD BECOME AN IMPORTANT PALM OIL PRODUCER AND EXPORTER Havana, June 29(RHC)-- Cuba could become an important palm oil producer and exporter in coming years, according to experts from Malaysia -- the world's main producer of palm oil. During a seminar which wound up on Monday in Havana's National Hotel, the Malaysian delegation and specialists from diverse Cuban institutions dedicated to foreign investments discussed the issue. The palm tree has 857 uses in today's world, among them the production of oil for human consumption and the production of perfumes, soaps and cosmetics. As a result of the close ties between Cuba and Malaysia, Cuba purchased 12,000 tons of palm oil last year, which set the basis for broadening cooperation in the sector. 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