Radio Havana Cuba, Friday, March 5, 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 Friday, March 5, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- FOUR CUBANS CHARGED WITH PROMOTING SEDITION CLOSELY TIED TO MIAMI-BASED TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS 2.- CUBA OFFICIALLY PROTESTS ACTIVITIES OF U.S. INTERESTS SECTION 3.- CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA WRAPS UP TOUR OF ASIA 4.- MODIFICATIONS TO CRIMINAL CODE EXPLAINED 5.- LATIN AMERICAN ECONOMIC COMMISSION NOTES CUBA'S ECONOMIC GROWTH 6.- GHANIAN AMBASSADOR TO CUBA OFFERS TALK ON THE OCCASION OF THE 42nd ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE 7.- HONORARY DOCTORATE AWARDED TO RENOWNED U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST 8.- CUBAN AUTHORITIES SIGN COOPERATION ACCORD WITH LATIN AMERICAN INDIGENOUS FUND FOUR CUBANS CHARGED WITH PROMOTING SEDITION CLOSELY TIED TO MIAMI-BASED TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS Havana, March 5(RHC)-- The extensive article which appeared in Thursday's edition of the Granma news daily, concerning four Cubans charged with promoting sedition, continues to be news item today. The piece, in response to an international campaign orchestrated by the United States, reveals the evidence presented against Vladimiro Roca Antunez, Felix Bonne Carcasses, Beatriz Roque Cabello and Rene Gomez Manzano -- pointing to their close ties with Miami-based terrorist organizations. According to the Granma article, the four accused were associated with a well-known traitor, Hubert Matos, the head of a organization called "Independent and Democratic Cuba" -- also known by its Spanish acronym "CID." One of the most aggressive Cuban-American groups, CID has been directly linked to assassination attempts against leaders of the Cuban Revolution and sabotage against economic targets on the island. Evidence during this week's trial also included ties with Jose Basulto, leader of the group called "Brothers to the Rescue" and a former member of the CIA-trained brigade that took part in the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba. Following the unsuccessful invasion in 1961, Basulto worked as a CIA agent during the 1970s and 80s and is still considered to be on the U.S. government's payroll. Another Cuban-American terrorist with close ties to the four accused is Ramon Saul Sanchez. According to evidence presented by Cuban judicial authorities, Sanchez is a leader of the so-called "Democracy Movement." Sanchez was also a member of terrorist organization called "Jovenes de la Estrella," which formed part of a coalition of groups brought together by the Central Intelligence Agency under the direction of well-known Cuban-American terrorist Orlando Bosch. Arrested on numerous occasions for anti- Cuba terrorist activities in the United States, Bosch led the coalition -- known as CORU -- of which Ramon Saul Sanchez became the Number Two man. The article in the Cuban news daily recalled CORU's terrorist attacks against Cuba in 1976 alone. On April 6th that year, two Cuban fishing boats were attacked by speedboats from Florida, resulting in one of the fishermen killed; on April 22nd, a bomb was placed at the Cuban Embassy in Portugal, killing two diplomats and wounding several others; June 5th, 1976: another bomb was planted at Cuba's United Nations Mission in New York City, causing significant material damage; July 9th: a bombed was placed in the luggage section of a Cubana civilian airliner in Jamaica, just moments before passengers were scheduled to board the plane. The Granma article, published in yesterday's edition of the newspaper, cites numerous other terrorist attacks organized by Cuban-Americans who receive hundreds of thousands of dollars from the U.S. government to promote what they like to call "a democratic transition" in Cuba. CUBA OFFICIALLY PROTESTS ACTIVITIES OF U.S. INTERESTS SECTION Havana, March 5(RHC)-- Cuba's Foreign Ministry has officially protested the anti-Cuba activities of the head of U.S. Interests Section in Havana, Michael Kozak. The protest note, delivered to the U.S. State Department in Washington, states that Kozak has provided material support and advice to four Cubans currently on trial for promoting sedition. In recent days, the head of the U.S. Interests Section has publicly condemned the trial, in what Cuban authorities have called "inappropriate diplomatic conduct." Kozak has also admitted to his close ties with the accused, saying that some of them are his personal friends. In other news, Cuban Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alejandro Gonzalez told reporters in Havana that the laws recently approved by the Cuban Parliament are not directed against foreign correspondents, criticizing the slanted press coverage by some international media agencies. CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA WRAPS UP TOUR OF ASIA Hanoi, March 5(RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina has wrapped up a tour of Asia, which took him to Japan, China and Vietnam -- a tour he termed as "very positive." Before boarding a plane in the Vietnamese capital for his return trip home, Robaina told reporters that following Cuban President Fidel Castro's recent, unofficial stop- over in Tokyo, ties between the two nations entered a new stage. He said the fact that Tokyo and Havana can issue a joint declaration "demonstrates to the world that the two countries can discuss any issue based on mutual respect." The Cuban foreign minister stated that what is most important in Cuba's relations with Beijing is that China and Cuba are constantly discussing new projects. Regarding his visit to Vietnam, Roberto Robaina said that Cuba's ties with this sister nation are "very special and highly political." He stated that he was able to personally witness that the Vietnamese people have not forgotten what Fidel Castro stated and demonstrated many years ago -- that Cuba would be willing to shed its own blood for Vietnam. MODIFICATIONS TO CRIMINAL CODE EXPLAINED Havana, March 5(RHC)-- Friday's edition of the Cuban daily Granma published a series of articles explaining recent changes in the island's Criminal Code. The modifications include the sentence of life imprisonment, which has long existed in many other countries but has been included in Cuban laws for the first time. The head of the Criminal Processes Office, Jose Candia Ferreyra, said that there is a need to introduce changes in current legislation. Such changes would help to confront crime more seriously in order to reduce criminal activities like drug trafficking, prostitution and procurement among others. The article published in Friday's Granma newspaper is aimed at informing the Cuban people about the procedures of the legal modifications. The Cuban official explained that the new modifications cannot be applied to people who are currently in jail or whose sentences were announced before the new modifications. Jose Candia Ferreyra, who is also a professor at the School of Law of the University of Havana, pointed out that these modifications will not affect honest Cubans, but are aimed specifically at criminals. LATIN AMERICAN ECONOMIC COMMISSION NOTES CUBA'S ECONOMIC GROWTH Washington, March 5(RHC)-- The Executive Secretary of the Latin American Economic Commission (CEPAL), Jose Antonio Ocampo, praised Cuba's macroeconomic growth. The Cuban economic situation was analyzed during a forum in Washington, the U.S. capital, organized by the non-governmental organization "Iberoamerican Dialogue." The meeting was dedicated to the political and economic study of Latin American countries. The CEPAL official commented that during an intense process of institutional reforms, Cuba has achieved favorable economic development and gave as an example the island's Gross National Product, which grew 3.7 percent between 1994 and 1996. A CEPAL consultant, David Ibarra, told participants at the forum that the arrival of foreign investors in Cuba has broadened economic opportunities on the island and stressed that if investment on the island continues to increase, the macroeconomic situation will improve even further. GHANIAN AMBASSADOR TO CUBA OFFERS TALK ON THE OCCASION OF THE 42nd ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE Havana, March 5(RHC)-- Ghana's ambassador to Cuba, Kuako Danso Boafo, offered a talk in Havana on Thursday, marking the occasion of the 42nd anniversary of that African country's independence. The Ghanian official stressed the traditional relations between Cuba and his country. During the talk, the Ghanian ambassador outlined the African nation's achievements in education, economy and other social sectors, as well as the aid Cuba has offered in educating Ghanian youth on the island. HONORARY DOCTORATE AWARDED TO RENOWNED U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST Havana, March 5(RHC)-- The University of Havana has awarded an internationally recognized U.S. ecologist and bio-mathematician, Richard Levins, with an honorary doctorate degree. Doctor Levins is considered one of the most prominent authors of mathematical patterns in biological processes. For over the past 30 years, Doctor Richard Levins has worked with various scientific institutions in Cuba, especially with research laboratories at the University of Havana. CUBAN AUTHORITIES SIGN COOPERATION ACCORD WITH LATIN AMERICAN INDIGENOUS FUND Havana, March 5(RHC)-- Cuban authorities have signed a cooperation accord with the Latin American Indigenous Fund, aimed at helping the group train specialists. Bolivian Victor Hugo Cardenas, President of the Executive Council of the Fund, is heading a delegation which is currently visiting the country. During their stay, the Latin American indigenous group met with the Minister of Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation, Ibrahim Ferradaz. [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-25529 1999-Mar-06 04:11:54