Radio Havana Cuba-22 March 2001 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 22 March 2001 . *THE BAY OF PIGS: 40 YEARS LATER - CONFERENCE UNDERWAY IN HAVANA *HAVANA IS CONFIDENT OF LATIN AMERICAN SUPPORT IN GENEVA - PEREZ ROQUE *WASHINGTON PUTS PRESSURE ON LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES TO VOTE AGAINST CUBA *HAVANA PREPARES FOR UPCOMING INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION MEETING *GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF RIO DE JANEIRO MEETS WITH FIDEL CASTRO *CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY SUPPORTS CUBAN PARTICIPATION IN AMERICAS SUMMIT *INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON AFRICAN INFLUENCE IN THE CARIBBEAN *CUBA CELEBRATES WORLD WATER DAY *VENEZUELA: POLLS SHOW HUGO CHAVEZ STILL IMMENSELY POPULAR *U.S. ARMY GENERAL VISITS LATIN AMERICA . *THE BAY OF PIGS: 40 YEARS LATER - CONFERENCE UNDERWAY IN HAVANA Havana, March 22 (RHC)--An historic conference is underway here in the Cuban capital -- "The Bay of Pigs: 40 Years Later." The conference, with the participation of both U.S. and Cuban historians and actual participants from the invasion and defense forces, was presided over today by Cuban President Fidel Castro. This marks the first time in 40 years that delegations from Cuba and the United States sit together to discuss issues related to the Bay of Pigs invasion. More than 50 U.S. experts, including former government and even CIA officials -- along with five members of the defeated invasion forces -- arrived here in Havana on Wednesday. The first day of discussions began in the Cuban capital Thursday morning with the participation of Cuban President Fidel Castro. The closed-door session will end with a news conference where official U.S. and Cuban documents on the U.S.-financed and organized invasion will be made available to journalists. In opening remarks to the session Thursday, Havana University Rector Dr. Juan Vela, highlighted the systematic communication that had been going on between Cuban research organizations and the National Security Archives at George Washington University in the United States. On the importance of the Bay of Pigs issue for Cuba-U.S. relations, the Havana University Rector said that regardless of the different opinions that might exist on either side, when speaking of Cuba-U.S. relations, necessary mention had to be made of the invasion. The academic thanked the U.S. side, including the visiting Bay of Pigs former invaders, for their readiness to participate in the Havana conference. He said that the memoirs of the three-day meeting will soon be published. In a short address during the opening session Thursday, U.S. academic Thomas Blanton from the National Security Archives, expressed satisfaction that knowledge on the Bay of Pigs issue was finally being expanded. Blanton said that the Havana conference was already making history. "We are examining this old history. It is a bitter history. But by doing so, we are making a new history. We are making history by the fact that we are here; we are making history by the way in which we are talking to each other -- respectfully. We are making history by the extraordinary documents that both sides have brought to the table. This briefing book [holding up large notebook of bound papers] was put together by the North Americans -- and this briefing book [holding up another large notebook] was put together by the Cubans. At this conference, these two books will come together." The Havana conference -- "The Bay of Pigs: 40 Years Later" -- is scheduled to end on Saturday with a visit to the actual site of the invasion, where for the first time in 40 years, participants from the two sides will walk together down the wide, sandy strip of beach called the Bay of Pigs. *HAVANA IS CONFIDENT OF LATIN AMERICAN SUPPORT IN GENEVA - PEREZ ROQUE Havana, March 22 (RHC)--Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque says that Havana is confident of Latin American support during the upcoming debate at the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva. Cuba's foreign minister noted that the United States is using pressure tactics to convince member nations to vote in favor of a resolution to condemn Cuba for alleged human rights violations. Speaking with reporters in the Cuban capital at the unveiling of a bust of the late Mexican Foreign Minister Manuel Tello, Havana's top diplomat said that he is sure that Latin American countries will be able to stand up against Washington's pressures. Felipe Perez Roque noted that of the 53 countries taking part in the current session, 11 are from Latin America -- Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Asked by reporters for a comment on Argentina and that country's possible vote against Cuba, Perez Roque noted that current relations between Havana and Buenos Aires are low and that Argentina's ambassador to Havana was recalled and has not yet returned to the Cuban capital. However, Cuba's foreign minister emphasized that Havana's representative in Buenos Aires continues on in his post. He added that Cuba is not concerned that an Argentinean is presiding over the session of the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Commission -- calling Leandro Despouy "an experienced diplomat and serious man" who is respected by Cuba. *WASHINGTON PUTS PRESSURE ON LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES TO VOTE AGAINST CUBA Mexico City, March 22 (RHC)--Washington is putting maximum pressure on the governments of Latin America to join with the United States in a vote against Cuba. According to the Paraguayan ambassador to Mexico, Efrain Enriquez Gamon, the U.S. is working behind the scenes to bribe those countries that are taking part in the 57th Annual Meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva. Gamon added that the issue of human rights in Cuba should not be used politically for Washington's own interests. Speaking with reporters in Mexico City, Chile's ambassador to Mexico, Luis Maira, stated that his country has chosen to abstain during next month's vote on alleged human rights violations in Cuba. Maira said that the resolution promoted by the United States and the Czech Republic is not serious and reiterated Chile's opposition to the U.S. economic blockade against Cuba. The Chilean ambassador to Mexico said that his country does not like the pressure exerted by the U.S. State Department on other member nations at the Commission and will not go along with its manoeuvres. Venezuela's representative in Mexico, Lino Martinez Salazar, called on Latin America to unite in solidarity with the people of Cuba. He said that Washington's efforts to push through a resolution critical of Havana's human rights record is nothing more than an attack against the Cuban people and their revolutionary government. *HAVANA PREPARES FOR UPCOMING INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION MEETING Havana, March 22 (RHC)--At least 110 of the 140 member nations of the Inter-Parliamentary Union have confirmed their attendance at the upcoming meeting of the organization in Havana. The 105th Conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union will be held in the Cuban capital from April 1st through the 7th. Speaking with reporters in Havana, the President of the International Relations Commission of the Cuban Parliament, Ramon Pez Ferro, stated that more than 1000 delegates will gather for the important international meeting. Pez Ferro said that among the delegates will be at least 36 presidents of national parliaments -- from Asia, Africa and Latin America. The head of the Cuban Parliament's International Relations Commission said that Havana will promote a resolution on the struggle against terrorism in all its forms. Other resolutions include a call for the lifting of the U.S. economic blockade against Cuba as well as an end to neo-liberal economic policies. The previous conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, held in Indonesia last October, dealt with suggestions to improve the organization's work. Organizers of the conference in Havana said that similar resolutions will be discussed during next month's meeting of international parliamentarians. *GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF RIO DE JANEIRO MEETS WITH FIDEL CASTRO Havana, March 22 (RHC)--The Governor of the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro, Anthony Garotino, has characterized his talks with Cuban President Fidel Castro as productive. The two leaders, who met in Havana on Wednesday, discussed the world economy, the need to strengthen ties between Rio de Janeiro and Cuba and the refusal of U.S. transnationals to reduce the prices of desperately needed AIDS medicines. The Cuban president expressed the need for AIDS medications to be made available to all who need them worldwide, especially the African countries which are the most affected. The Governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday toured the Latin American School of Medicine located on the outskirts of the Cuban capital and praised the island's solidarity with other nations. Governor Garotino also visited the Carlos Finlay Institute and the Biotechnology Center as well as Havana's Neurological Restoration Center. The Brazilian governor announced the upcoming opening of a vitiligo clinic in Rio de Janeiro using Cuban technology to cure the skin pigmentation disorder. *CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY SUPPORTS CUBAN PARTICIPATION IN AMERICAS SUMMIT Havana, March 22 (RHC)--Despite Washington's opposition, the Caribbean nations will continue defending Cuba in the 3rd Summit of the Americas to be held in Quebec, Canada next month. According to the Guyanese newspaper, the Chronicle, the Caribbean Community's position is that Cuba must be included in all the hemisphere's cooperation projects. The Guyanese paper asserts that the so-called 'lack of democracy' claim pushed by Washington, reveals the arrogant and insensitive position of the United States with its failed 40-year blockade against a small Caribbean island located just 90 miles from its shores. In relation to the future, the Guyanese Chronicle, adds that Caribbean leaders will insist during the Summit of the Americas in Quebec, that Cuba be invited to next year's regional summit. *INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON AFRICAN INFLUENCE IN THE CARIBBEAN Havana, March 22 (RHC)--The eastern city of Santiago de Cuba will host an International Workshop on African influence in the Caribbean which will be held from April 10th to the 15th. The event is sponsored by UNESCO's Cuba Commission and the Spanish Alcala de Henares University. During the meeting the participants will debate issues related to ethnology in Cuba, Latin America and the Caribbean, race, cultural identity and cultural anthropology. Other themes to be discussed are the works of Cuban ethnologist Fernando Ortiz and Romulo Lachatanere and the evolution of mixed cultures from Africa and the region. *CUBA CELEBRATES WORLD WATER DAY Havana, March 22 (RHC)--Cuba is celebrating World Water Day with some 90 percent of its population enjoying access to water. The UN General Assembly first decided to celebrate World Water Day during the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit in 1992. The eastern province of Camaguey was selected to host this year's main activity in recognition of the province's improvement in supplying water to its population and in food production. More than 383,000 people have benefited from the construction of some 600 aqueducts as part of a project to guarantee the right of the island's citizens, particularly children, to access to drinking water. According to international statistics, at least 1.2 million people in the world lack drinking water and approximately three billion have no access to clean water. *VENEZUELA: POLLS SHOW HUGO CHAVEZ STILL IMMENSELY POPULAR Caracas, March 22 (RHC)--A new opinion poll in the Venezuelan capital shows that President Hugo Chavez continues to an extremely popular leader. More than 60 percent of those questioned recently expressed their confidence in the Venezuelan president. The survey was carried out by the company Eugenio Escuela and reveals that the president's popularity is strongest among the poor and marginalized -- with up to a 68 percent approval rating. According to the opinion poll, Hugo Chavez is also still very popular among middle class Venezuelans -- registering 58.3 percent. Political analysts noted that after two years in office, Hugo Chavez enjoys one of the highest popularity rates in the history of Venezuela. *U.S. ARMY GENERAL VISITS LATIN AMERICA Buenos Aires, March 22 (RHC)--The head of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army General Henry Shelton, is touring several Latin American countries to study the military forces of the region. The U.S. general arrived in Argentina on Wednesday and is also slated to visit Brazil and Chile. Speaking with reporters in Buenos Aires, General Shelton said that the purpose of his Latin American tour was to meet with civilian and military personnel to "learn first-hand about the military institutions of these countries." Following a meeting with Argentinean Defense Minister Horacio Jaunarena, the U.S. army general was asked by journalists if he planned to extend the infamous Plan Colombia to other parts of Latin America. Plan Colombia is a multi-billion dollar project put together by Washington and Bogota to allegedly fight drug trafficking -- but political analysts say it is actually designed to destroy the Colombian guerrilla movement. General Shelton staunchly denied that the United States is planning to push through similar plans in Argentina or other countries in the region, saying that Plan Colombia is exclusively for that country. However, the U.S. army general stated that -- in his words -- "there are still security threats," noting that these threats can be dealt with "through mutual cooperation and regional programs." Many observers have warned that Washington is aggressively pushing a regional defense program that will be led by the U.S. military, in cooperation with the military top brass of cooperating Latin American countries. (c) 2001 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. 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