Radio Havana Cuba-10 April 2000 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 10 April 2000 -DECISIVE WEEK BEGINS FOR ELIAN GONZALEZ, STILL CAPTIVE IN MIAMI -GROUP OF 77 SOUTH SUMMIT UNDERWAY IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL -WASHINGTON'S CUBAN ADJUSTMENT ACT ENCOURAGES ILLEGAL MIGRATION TO THE US -DELEGATION OF CANADIAN BUSINESS EXECUTIVES ARRIVES IN CUBA -CUBA TO TAKE PART IN THE CANARY ISLANDS INTERNATIONAL FAIR -EASTERN SANTIAGO DE CUBA PROVINCE FULFILLS SUGAR PRODUCTION PLAN -FIRST CAMAGUEY-HAITI CULTURAL ENCOUNTER UNDERWAY IN CUBA -Viewpoint: SOUTH SUMMIT TO TAKE PLACE AMIDST NEOLIBERALISM DECISIVE WEEK BEGINS FOR ELIAN GONZALEZ, STILL CAPTIVE IN MIAMI Washington, April 10 (RHC)-- The father of six-year-old Elian Gonzalez, Juan Miguel, met with his attorney today in Washington to study the next steps to take custody of his son. Juan Miguel met yesterday with a three-member team of psychologists who are helping to determine the best way to reunite father and son, which is scheduled to take place sometime this week. Juan Miguel Gonzalez also met with the two fishermen who pulled Elian from the sea last November and thanked them for saving his son. The boy's father told the fishermen that he was deeply appreciative, but rejected their suggestions that he leave Elian in the United States because, according to them, the boy would have more opportunities and material benefits. Since his arrival in the U.S. last Thursday, Juan Miguel has had to defend himself against a constant barrage of insinuations, suggesting that he himself should ask for political asylum. The father of Elian Gonzalez has consistently defended his position to return with his son to Cuba. U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, speaking with reporters Sunday evening, stated that she is hopeful that the distant relatives in Miami will peacefully cooperate with efforts to transfer custody to Juan Miguel. Reno refused to discuss the possibility of using force to remove Elian from his kidnappers in Miami, although reliable sources in the U.S. capital report that Federal Marshals are prepared to move on the house where the six-year-old is being held and will carry out the operation if the boy's kidnappers refuse to turn him over according to INS instructions. Assistant Attorney General Eric Holder, interviewed this morning on the CBS television program "The Early Show," hinted that the Justice Department will work to have the transfer take place in a neutral city. Holder stated that U.S. authorities do not want to subject Elian to the custody transfer at the house in Miami, surrounded by protesters and the media. Meanwhile, the boy's kidnappers in Miami are pushing to have Juan Miguel Gonzalez go to the house to meet with his son and, according to their spokesmen, sit down and discuss the situation "like a family." But Gregory Craig, the attorney for Juan Miguel, told reporters over the weekend that his client has no intention of going to Miami. Craig stated that if the boy's distant relatives are really concerned about their family, they will take Elian by the hand, deliver him to his father and say: "Here is your son." GROUP OF 77 SOUTH SUMMIT UNDERWAY IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, April 10 (RHC) -- The South Summit of the Group of 77 is underway in the Cuban capital. During a news conference Monday in Havana, Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque said the meeting will strongly come out for an end to the current unsustainable international economic system. According to the Cuban foreign minister, the current world system has promoted unlimited financial speculation and increased hunger and misery throughout the Third World. He said for that reason, there is a strong consensus that the international economic order must be changed. Cuban Foreign Minister Perez Roque said that the South Summit is an extremely important gathering of underdevelopment countries, calling it a step forward in coordinating the points of view of Third World nations. He pointed out that the attendance of 122 delegations of the Group of 77 member-nations and 34 non-members is evidence of great interest in the Summit. The top Cuban diplomat emphasized that the South Summit is taking place after what he called "the Seattle rebellion" and at a moment when no one dares to support the economic shock programs imposed on underdeveloped countries. Perez Roque said that after more than a decade of discredited, neo-liberal economic policies, no one can say that the gap between rich and poor has been reduced. The Group of 77 South Summit will prioritize four issues, including south-south cooperation. The Cuban foreign minister stated that Havana has presented 60 concrete projects for south-south cooperation, which will be considered by participants at this week's gathering. Perez Roque also said that delegates to the South Summit will come out for the globalization of solidarity, rather than for the globalization that excludes the poor. Noting that a serious dialogue between North and South is needed, the Cuban foreign minister stressed that such a dialogue must be conducted on an equal footing in which the development rights of the Third World must be recognized, as well as the responsibilities and duties of the industrialized countries to that development. During his news conference in Havana, Cuba's foreign minister stated that the consensus of the Group of 77 will be expressed in the South Summit's Final Declaration and Action Program, which will be adopted at the gathering this week. The Group of 77 South Summit runs through Friday here in the Cuban capital. WASHINGTON'S CUBAN ADJUSTMENT ACT ENCOURAGES ILLEGAL MIGRATION TO THE US Havana, April 10 (RHC)-- Washington's Cuban Adjustment Act encourages illegal Cuban migration to the United Sates, as denounced by an editorial in Sunday's edition of the Cuban news daily Juventud Rebelde. The editorial points to the situation of a group of some 20 undocumented immigrants that were returned to Cuba by the US Coast Guard last week. The Cuban newspaper reports that the original group of immigrants totaled 24, highlighting that four of them were not repatriated to the island, which constitutes a violation of the current bilateral migration accords between Washington and Havana. Ten of the 24 immigrants have criminal records in Cuba with charges of robbery and even murder, including two of those who were not sent back, since they were arbitrarily granted benefits stipulated in the questionable Cuban Adjustment Act -nicknamed Washington's dry-foot wet-foot policy, which makes reference to those that make it to dry land are automatically given US residency. Among those returned to Cuba by the US Coast Guard, says the newspaper, were a 12-year-old boy, who was placed on a boat by his mother without the permission of his father, and could have faced a similar or even worse situation than that suffered by six-year-old Elian Gonzalez, who is still being illegally held in Miami by anti-Cuba extremists. The Juventud Rebelde note wonders if the American people are fully aware of the kind of person that their government is favoring with this arbitrary law, that authorizes entry into the United States to any Cuban immigrant who reaches US territory without being detected. DELEGATION OF CANADIAN BUSINESS EXECUTIVES ARRIVES IN CUBA Havana, April 10 (RHC)-- A Canadian delegation has arrived in Cuba to explore opportunities for strengthening bilateral relations with the Caribbean island. The visiting delegation, made up of business executives, was received on Monday by officials from Cuba's Chamber of Commerce. The visitors' agenda on the island includes meetings with Cuban authorities in the island's Health Ministry. During their stay in Cuba, the Canadian delegation will also tour hospitals and pharmaceutical laboratories, as well as centers of historical, economic and social interest. CUBA TO TAKE PART IN THE CANARY ISLANDS INTERNATIONAL FAIR Havana, April 10 (RHC)-- A large delegation from the Cuban business community will participate in the 16th Canary Islands International Fair, set for April 12th through the 16th. Representing Cuba during the fair will be Cubana Airlines and the famous Varadero Rum, among other local business firms. This year's edition of the Canary Islands International Fair will gather some 700 firms from over 30 nations. EASTERN SANTIAGO DE CUBA PROVINCE FULFILLS SUGAR PRODUCTION PLAN Santiago de Cuba, April 10 (RHC)-- Eastern Santiago de Cuba province has already fulfilled its plan for the current national sugar harvest, with a 15 percent increase over the previous harvest. Cuba's Sugar Minister, Ulises Rosales del Toro congratulated sugar workers and highlighted that this year's results place Santiago de Cuba among the top Cuban provinces in the sector. FIRST CAMAGUEY-HAITI CULTURAL ENCOUNTER UNDERWAY IN CUBA Camaguey, April 10 (RHC)-- The first bilateral Camaguey-Haiti Cultural Encounter got underway over the weekend in eastern Camaguey province. In the Kamahaiti 2000 meeting, Haitians and Cubans are re-discovering their cultural roots. Many of the 40.000 inhabitants of this extensive territory are descendants of the Haitians that arrived at the beginning of the 20th century to work in the cane fields and settled here. On Sunday, the Haitian delegation, made up of around 40 artists, intellectuals and specialists and headed by the Minister of Haitians Living Abroad, was given a warm welcome at the Ignacio Agramonte Airport. Young ballet dancers between eight and ten years old from the Luis Casas Romero Art School welcomed the visitors, and a vocal group sang in both Spanish and Creole. Conferences by Haitian and Cuban experts, exhibitions of Haitian paintings, as well as performances by Cuban and Haitian singers and musicians will be held through April 14th. The Haitian delegation will also visit several communities in Camaguey province. An exiting cultural exchange between Haitians and Cubans, who are united by history and geography will also be expanded. Viewpoint: THE SOUTH SUMMIT TO TAKE PLACE AMIDST NEOLIBERALISM The South Summit, which is taking place here in Havana this week, is designed to fulfill the expectations of the 133 underdeveloped nations making up the Group of 77 as they fight the effects of neoliberalism, globalization and other conflicts influencing today's world. It is no small coincidence that the summit is being held in Havana ten years after free market neoliberalism was imposed. The economic doctrine gives priority to privatizations at any cost, ignoring the social consequences. These economic and social consequences reveal debts that continue to skyrocket forcing underveloped nations to divert nearly 40 to 50 percent of their Gross National Product to cover the interest payments alone. Meanwhile, the powerful and rich nations demand payment, but render little aid for development in return. According to the agreements, the First World nations should destine at least 0.7 percent of their own GNP toward official aid. The situation worsens with the establishing of privatization programs that absorb Third World public assistance resources. It is clear that Third-World representatives have a lot to discuss at the Summit. Many will pronounce in favour of a more democratic and equal international financial structure. However, in the end the reforming process will benefit only a minority as the world economy tends to globalization. Many others will pronounce in favour of more UN involvement in extending development and international cooperation, even though the organization lacks effective mechanisms for the adoption of important political decisions. Nonetheless, although agreements in the South Summit are not expected to favour all participating nations, underdeveloped and poor nations will at least have the opportunity to demand a better world. (c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba. All rights reserved. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= rhc-eng-6877 2000-Apr-10 22:07:28