Radio Havana Cuba-27 June 2000 23:00 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 27 June 2000 23:00 *CONGRESSIONAL CONDITIONS ON U.S. FOOD AND MEDICINE SALES *ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION TOPICS *COLOMBIAN VICE PRESIDENT WRAPS UP SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO CUBA *HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE PRODUCTION IN CUBA *FOREIGN FIRMS IN CUBA MAKE "SIGNIFICANT PROFITS" *COLLOQUIUM ON CUBAN POET ELISEO DIEGO OPENS TOMORROW *Viewpoint: WILL THE RICH EVER HEED THE PLIGHT OF THE POOR? *CONGRESSIONAL CONDITIONS ON U.S. FOOD AND MEDICINE SALES Havana, June 27 (RHC)-- Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon has affirmed that U.S. congressional conditions placed on lifting restrictions to sell food and medicine to the island will not affect Washington's blockade of Cuba. Alarcon was a panelist on Tuesday evening's roundtable discussion -- broadcast live on Cuban radio and television. He stated that the new conditions will actually worsen the situation, given that congressional restrictions will render the measure meaningless and further tighten the blockade. The Cuban parliamentary leader recalled that following five weeks of intense debate, U.S. Republican congressional leaders reportedly reached an agreement late Monday night to give a green light to the sale of food and medicine to Cuba, although denying the island access to U.S. government or private credits. An amendment attached to an agricultural appropriations bill in May would have allowed private U.S. financing of food sales to Cuba, but this would be forbidden under the agreement reached by Republican leaders. Alarcon also pointed out that the appropriations bill has yet to be approved, so the existing Cuba language can still easily be changed. And the Cuban parliament president stated that the text of an agreement to allow the sale of food and medicine to the island does not exist. Observers say it is not clear whether the trade provisions would be left in the agricultural bill or put in another appropriations measure, nor when the measure would be taken to a vote of the full House and Senate. Ricardo Alarcon emphasized that the so-called "softening" of Washington's blockade is nothing more than a trick to fool public opinion, asserting that other restrictions still in place will make it virtually impossible to purchase food and medicine from the United States. *ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION TOPICS Havana, June 27 (RHC)-- A roundtable discussion was broadcast live on Cuban radio and television Tuesday evening. The panel, composed of leading journalists, included Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon, and analyzed three topics: the appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court by the kidnappers of Elian Gonzalez; the Shaka Sankofa execution and its implications for Black America; and a reported agreement by U.S. congressional representatives to lift the prohibition on the sale of food and medicine to Cuba. The panel opened with a discussion on the execution of Black death row prisoner Shaka Sankofa in the state of Texas last Thursday. Arlin Rodriguez, a journalist for Radio Rebelde, read Sankofa's political testament in which he reiterated both his innocence and the need for continued struggle to end capital punishment. The last words of Shaka Sankofa placed the death penalty within the context of genocide by the dominant white culture against Blacks in the United States. The second issue discussed during the roundtable was the report of a provision attached to an agricultural appropriations bill in the U.S. congress -- agreeing to lift the ban on sales of food and medicine to Cuba by U.S. companies. It was emphasized that the conditions, placed on the measure by the ultra-right wing on Capitol Hill, actually serve to reinforce the blockade against the island. According to the agreement, Cuba will be denied credit from any bank or lending agency and must pay cash for any goods purchased, yet is prohibited to spend dollars in any transaction with the U.S. In addition, Cuba can neither trade with nor export products to the United States. The third theme touched upon by roundtable participants was the Elian Gonzalez case. Panelists reiterated that Elian and his father, Juan Miguel, continue to wait for a response from the U.S. Supreme Court regarding a prohibition to leave the country. That prohibition will expire Wednesday at 4 p.m., Washington time, if the Court does not issue an extension. Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy is currently reviewing an emergency interdict, submitted by the lawyers of the kidnappers, which could once again delay Elian's return to Cuba. The roundtable discussion was aired live on Cuban television and the national radio network, as well as the international shortwave frequencies of Radio Havana Cuba. *COLOMBIAN VICE PRESIDENT WRAPS UP SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO CUBA Havana, June 27 (RHC)-- Colombian Vice President Gustavo Bell Lemus has wrapped up an official visit to Cuba, characterizing his meeting with Cuban President Fidel Castro as "interesting and intense." He also expressed his hope that the Cuban leader will soon visit his country. Speaking with reporters in Havana at the end of his five-day visit to Cuba, the Colombian vice president affirmed that relations between Bogota and Havana are better than ever, with excellent perspectives for broadening commercial, educational and cultural exchanges. And the Colombian government official stated that the main objectives of his visit to Cuba were fulfilled. Referring to the need for regional integration, Colombian Vice President Bell Lemus emphasized that Latin America must work towards unity in order to confront the challenges of the contemporary world. During his stay on the island, Colombia's vice president met with his Cuban counterpart, Carlos Lage, and with the Minister of Foreign Trade, Raul de la Nuez. He was also a special guest at the International Trade Fair EXPOCARIBE 2000, which was held in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba. *HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE PRODUCTION IN CUBA Havana, June 27 (RHC)-- Cuba will begin the production of homeopathic medicines this year as part of a project partially financed by the European Union and other international institutions. The co-director of the program, Italian Luca Beltrame, said that the project will extend for three years and will include the construction of a laboratory in Havana for the production of homeopathic medicines. Beltrame stated that homeopathy is non-toxic and inexpensive, without having to eliminate conventional medicine. *FOREIGN FIRMS IN CUBA MAKE "SIGNIFICANT PROFITS" Madrid, June 27 (RHC)-- The Spanish firm "Cuba Business" announced on Monday that the 13 foreign firms with the most investment on the island obtained earnings of 40 percent during the first five months of this year. According to the Madrid-based company, due to the misinformation that exists on business in Cuba and following an agreement reached between the United States and the European Union in relation to the extraterritorial nature of the Helms-Burton Law, a financial index was created to measure the development of foreign investment on the island. *COLLOQUIUM ON CUBAN POET ELISEO DIEGO OPENS TOMORROW Havana, June 27 (RHC)-- The First National Colloquium on the Life and Work of Cuban poet Eliseo Diego will be held in Havana on Wednesday and Thursday. The event will allow writers, language teachers and researchers to exchange views on the literary contributions of the renowned Cuban poet. Work sessions will be held at the Literature and Linguistics Institute of Havana. The opening ceremony will be presented by Mexico's cultural attaché in Cuba, Hector Ramirez, followed by a performance by the Escambray Theatre Group. A roundtable is scheduled for Thursday to discuss the popularity of Eliseo's work among Cuban readers. Three books will be presented during the colloquium -- two consisting of Eliseo's poetry collections and another written by his daughter, Josefina. *Viewpoint: WILL THE RICH EVER HEED THE PLIGHT OF THE POOR? When political power is not in the hands of the majority -- as it should be in a true democracy -- prospects for real social development which eliminate injustices are slim. Some might think that on the threshold of the new millenium, scientific breakthroughs and other technological advances would serve humanity's best interests. However, what is certain is that the vast majority of poor people in this world will not see any immediate benefits from recent technological achievements. Some might even contend that those achievements will further strengthen the old and unjust social system that has caused most of the evil currently plaguing the human race. Today, what people produce is not being used for their own benefit. The end of the 20th century marks the height of poverty, the lack of education and health care and other life-threatening problems affecting two-thirds of the planet's population. To top it off, natural resources are being greedily wasted, the air and water around us are being polluted and damage to the ozone is accelerating the over-heating of the planet and drastically affecting global climate. All of these factors led to the First Summit on Social Development, which was held five years ago in Copenhagen, Denmark. At that time, wealthy, industrialized countries pledged to devote a mere 0.7 percent of their Gross Domestic Product to aid the development of Third World nations. Leaders from around the world came up with interesting projects and initiatives for a progressive and balanced social development, based on experiences accumulated throughout the years and the work of important international organizations. Five years later, however, the promises made by the North remain unfulfilled and disparities have greatly widened. This dim picture is the backdrop of a United Nations-sponsored Social Development Summit, currently underway in Geneva as a follow-up to Copenhagen's first summit in 1995. Will there be any progress? Will the rich ever pay attention to the plight of the poor? Let us hope that rhetoric and double standards will be set aside and that real progress will be made. If that is not done, economic and natural laws will eventually correct the course of history. (c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. 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-26306 2000-Jun-27 23:34:36