RHC Weekend-25 August 2001 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - Weekend News Update - 25 August 2001 . *CUBA, EUROPEAN UNION EAGER TO RESUME POLITICAL DIALOGUE *CUBAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES VENEZUELAN FOREIGN MINISTER *RAUL CASTRO PRESIDES OVER MASS RALLY IN VILLA CLARA *CUBA'S NATIONAL BALLET COMPANY US TOUR WON'T INCLUDE MIAMI *LATIN AMERICAN MEDICAL STUDENTS BACK IN CUBA FOR NEW SEMESTER *BENNY MORE STATUE UNVEILED IN VERACRUZ, MEXICO *TEXAS RANCHER GETS 6 MONTHS FOR MURDERING MEXICAN IMMIGRANT *MACEDONIA SKEPTICAL OF NATO'S ABILITY TO DISARM ALBANIAN EXTREMISTS *PALESTINIAN LEADERS ACCUSE BUSH OF GIVING GREEN LIGHT TO ISAELI VIOLENCE *Viewpoint: CUBA AND THE EU - TO DIALOGUE OR NOT TO DIALOGUE? . *CUBA, EUROPEAN UNION EAGER TO RESUME POLITICAL DIALOGUE Havana, August 25 (RHC)--Cuba and the European Union have agreed to renew their political dialogue without pre-conditions. The announcement came in a joint press conference with Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque and visiting Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel, currently presiding over the European Union's Council of Ministers. Perez Roque stated that both parties have expressed interest in creating the conditions for a political dialogue based on mutual respect, without pre-conditions and without excluding any issues. The Belgian Foreign Minister, wrapping up his official visit Friday evening, said that in his talks with Cuban government leaders he was able to identify issues in which their was mutual agreement and others in which there wasn't. Michel said his encounters with Cuban authorities took place in what he called a conducive climate of immense frankness and confidence. He said he will transmit to his European colleagues Cuba's willingness to participate in the Cotonou Accord -- granting 70 African, Caribbean and Pacific nations low-tariff entry of their products into the EU -- without any specific conditions. Perez Roque said Cuba hopes to see the European Union play an increasingly greater role in the construction of a multipolar world, expressing the island's support of the EU's position in favor of the Kyoto Protocol on global warming.The Cuban Foreign Minister also expressed support of the rejection of the majority of EU nations of Washington's Star Wars program. *CUBAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES VENEZUELAN FOREIGN MINISTER Habana, August 25 (RHC)--Cuban President Fidel Castro received visiting Venezuelan Foreign Minister Luis Alfonso Davila late on Friday. The Cuban leader held private talks with the visiting dignitary after Davila had gathered with several high-ranking members of the Cuban government, including Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque. During his talks with Cuban authorities, Davila has reiterated his country's appreciation of Cuba's solidarity in the fields of health, education, agriculture and sports. Perez Roque took the opportunity to express Cuba's appreciation of Venezuela's support of the Cuban peoples' struggle against Washington's blockade of the island. Davila said that in the search for what he called a balanced international playing field, Venezuela is in agreement with the ideas and concepts promoted by Cuba worldwide. In reference to Fidel Castro's recent visit to Venezuela, the Venezuelan Foreign Minister said that his country always receives the Cuban leader with a great deal of pride. *RAUL CASTRO PRESIDES OVER MASS RALLY IN VILLA CLARA Villa Clara, August 25 (RHC)--Cuban Defense Minister Raul Castro Ruz presided over a mass rally in central Villa Clara province to protest Washington's anti-Cuba policy. More than 25,000 Villa Clara residents, representing the entire Cuban people, demanded the release and return to Cuba of the five patriots wrongfully convicted of spying against the US government. During the rally Cubans from diverse walks of life also demanded an end to the US blockade against Cuba and the elimination of all of Washington's anti-Cuba laws, including the Helms-Burton and Torricceli laws, as well as the so-called Cuban Adjustment Act. The people of Villa Clara also reaffirmed their support for the Revolution and socialism, as well as their determination to defend Cuba's sovereignty at any cost. *CUBA'S NATIONAL BALLET COMPANY US TOUR WON'T INCLUDE MIAMI Havana, August 25 (RHC)--The Florida Concerts Association has cancelled previously scheduled performances Cuba's National Ballet Company in Miami over security concerns, given the violent, hostile attitude of Miami-based anti-Cuba groups toward artists living on the island. The presentations of the The Miami performances Cuban ballet company were part of a US tour including Washington D.C., Chicago, Minneapolis, Seattle and other cities from October 10th through November 25th. Sources from the Florida Concerts Association said they had considered the possibility of the Cuban ballet company performing at the local Jackie Gleason theatre, located in the Miami Beach area. The same source said that that possibility was abandoned due to what they called an "unfavorable atmosphere." Last week, organizers of the Latin Grammy music awards moved the show out of Miami to Los Angeles over similar concerns about planned protests by extremist Cuban-American groups against artists from the island. *LATIN AMERICAN MEDICAL STUDENTS BACK IN CUBA FOR NEW SEMESTER Camaguey, August 25 (RHC)--More than 280 students from 10 Latin American nations have begun to return to Cuba to continue their university studies on scholarships granted by the Cuban government. The foreign students, who had returned to their countries to spend summer vacations with their families, will begin the third year of their medical studies at the Carlos J. Finlay Institute of Medical Sciences, named after the renowned Cuban practitioner who discovered the aedes aegypti mosquito which carries yellow fever. The scholarships are part of a Cuban cooperation program to help create integral health care systems in other Third World nations in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa. The 280 medical students are from Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Panama, Guatemala, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Belize and Paraguay. The total enrollment at the Finlay Institute for the next school year totals 3,179 thousand 179 students, among them 470 foreigners from 42 nations. Since its opening in 1980 as a faculty of the University of Camaguey, the Carlos J. Finlay Medical Institute has graduated 8,464 health professionals. *BENNY MORE STATUE UNVEILED IN VERACRUZ, MEXICO Mexico, August 25 (RHC)--A life-size statue of the legendary Cuban musician Benny More was unveiled on Friday in Veracruz, Mexico, venue of the 6th International Festival of Son Montuno -- Cuba's most famous genre of peasant, or country, music. Benny More, also known by his nickname "Barbaro del Ritmo" (Master of Rhythm), is considered to be among the best exponents of Cuban popular music. Attending the ceremony to pay homage to the renowned Cuban artist on the 82nd anniversary of his birth were Vice President of the Cuban Council of Ministers, Juan Almeida, and Veracruz Governor Miguel Aleman. Born on August 24th, 1919, in Santa Isabel de las Lajas in central Cienfuegos province, el Benny -- as the Cuban people like to call him -- was the son of a poor family. His parents could not afford to pay for music or even school classes, but el Benny was a self-taught musician and the author of most of the songs he ever sang throughout his life. He won standing ovations everywhere he performed, particularly for the unique, elegant way he directed his orchestra while dancing on the stage. *TEXAS RANCHER GETS 6 MONTHS FOR MURDERING MEXICAN IMMIGRANT Houston, August 25 (RHC)--In the USA, a Texas rancher who shot an undocumented Mexican immigrant has received a mere 180-day prison sentence for the murder, sparking indignation among Mexican authorities. Mexico's Foreign Ministry said the sentence handed out to 74-year-old Samuel Blackwood by a court in Kinney, Texas is "inexplicable and unacceptable." Blackwood opened fire in May of last year against Eusebio de Haro and another immigrant after they crossed the border illegally and stopped at his ranch to ask for water. De Haro bled to death from his wound. Blackwood has also given the option of two years on parole, which means that he will not spend one day in jail. Mexican authorities termed such a light sentence for someone convicted of having taken the life of another person by shooting him in the back "outrageous." Blackwood's lawyer insisted that his client shot in self defense, though eyewitness testimony -- including that of survivor Javier Sanchez -- revealed that the Texas rancher pursued the two Mexican immigrants in a vehicle, from which he shot at them on two occasions. *MACEDONIA SKEPTICAL OF NATO'S ABILITY TO DISARM ALBANIAN EXTREMISTS Skopje, August 25 (RHC)--The government of Macedonia has called "ridiculous" NATO's report on the number of weapons in the hands of separatist Albanian guerrillas operating in the country. Some 2,500 NATO soldiers were preparing for deployment in Macedonia on Saturday, following seven months of armed confrontations between the guerrillas and Macedonian authorities. NATO and the guerrillas reached an agreement by which the Albanian separatists would hand over 3,000 weapons. But the government of Macedonia said the irregular forces possess at least 60,000 to 70,000 weapons. The Macedonian Prime Minister said NATO has not been able to disarm the Albanian terrorists in Kosovo, and he doubted that the western military alliance could disarm them in Macedonia. After having originally supported the 1999 NATO bombardments of Serbia, the government of Macedonia is now critical of that operation, charging that the excessive support western nations gave to the Albanians has gone to their heads and has led to increasing destabilization in the Balkans region. *PALESTINIAN LEADERS ACCUSE BUSH OF GIVING GREEN LIGHT TO ISAELI VIOLENCE West Bank, August 25 (RHC)--Palestinian leaders are blaming US President George Bush for the continuation of the violence in Israeli-occupied territories. On Friday, Bush again demanded that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat put an end to the violence, while calling on Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to show "moderation." But Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo asserted that Bush's call for an end to the violence is ignoring Israel's policy of fascist occupation. Palestinian International Cooperation Minister Nabil Chaat said Washington in reality is giving the Israelis a green light to murder Palestinians with weapons made in the USA. *Viewpoint: CUBA AND THE EU - TO DIALOGUE OR NOT TO DIALOGUE? Cuba has frankly put forth its views concerning the island's relations with the European Union, and was listened to not only with respect and without arrogance by visiting Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel. Cuba's major media commented on the constructive attitude maintained by the also President of the EU's Council of Ministers. The bilateral talks developed in an appropriate atmosphere, notwithstanding well-known differences stemming from the prevailing criteria in several European countries that no political dialogue can be held with Cuba if the island continues to differ with the Old Continent concerning concepts like human rights, democracy and multi-party elections. Cuba has never refused to engage in a political dialogue with the EU as long as there are no unacceptable preconditions which go against the sovereignty, independence and dignity of the Cuban people and their chosen social, economic and political systems. European support for Washington's anti-Cuba maneuvers at the UN Human Rights Commission did not contribute constructively to relations between Cuba and the EU. Over the past few years, the 15 European nations have periodically adopted what they call a "common position" on Cuba, accompanied by prerequisites for the beginning of a debate, when there was no need for this selective and discriminatory treatment. The "common position" runs contrary to efforts by several European nations, including Belgium, that favor the strengthening of ties with Cuba, which in turn also facilitates cooperation with third countries in need, particularly in Africa. Undoubtedly, Cuba and the European Union have much to talk about, particularly given the growing trade between the island and the European block, and the increasing numbers of European tourists traveling to the Caribbean nation. Europe represents 45% of all the island's commercial transactions, while nearly half the total number of tourists coming to Cuba are from Europe. Michel's efforts to remove obstacles to the frank bilateral dialogue desired by Cuba could open a window to discuss pending issues on Havana's participation in the Cotonou accord, which establishes preferential trade relations between Europe and the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Group. The next few weeks will reveal whether or not European countries are willing to pursue the path opened by Michel, or if they will continue to run away from serious dialogue, while at the same time rushing to invest in Cuba. (c) 2001 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-17950 2001-Aug-25 21:47:20