Radio Havana Cuba-13 November 2001 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 13 November 2001 . *AT UN, CUBA CALLS ON USA TO STOP ITS UNILATERAL WAR AGAINST AFGANISTÁN *CUBA RECEIVES MESSAGES OF SOLIDARITY FOR DAMAGES CAUSED BY HURRICANE *REGIONAL MEETING BEGINS TO OPPOSE FREE TRADE AREA OF THE AMERICAS *FIRST SECRETARY OF VIETNAM'S COMMUNIST PARTY MEETS CUBAN OFFICIALS *NORTHERN ALLIANCE WALKS INTO AFGHAN CAPITAL, ABANDONED BY TALIBAN *U.S. WARPLANES BOMB OFFICES OF AL-JAZEERA TELEVISION IN KABUL *Viewpoint: JUST RHETORIC? . *AT UN, CUBA CALLS ON USA TO STOP ITS UNILATERAL WAR AGAINST AFGANISTÁN New York, November 13 (RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque delivered an address before the 56th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, strongly calling on Washington to stop its unilateral war against Afghanistan. Before making his statement on behalf of the Cuban government, Perez Roque expressed condolences to the United States, the Dominican Republic and other countries that lost citizens among the passengers and crew in Monday's tragedy of the American Airlines flight, which crashed on take-off from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. Cuba's foreign minister then addressed the issue of Washington's war against Afghanistan. He stated that the Government of the United States must acknowledge that it has made a mistake -- and must halt its ineffective, unjustifiable bombing campaign against that people. As to the war's results, said Felipe Perez Roque, it would seem that the U.S. has targeted children, the civilian population and the International Red Cross hospitals and facilities as enemies. As to its methods, no honest voice could defend an endless slaughter -- with the most sophisticated weaponry -- of a dispossessed, starving, helpless people. And the Cuban foreign minister continued, as to its doubtful purposes, this war will never be justified from the point of view of ethics and International Law. Those responsible for that war, he stated, will one day be judged by history. Havana's top diplomat said that Cuba has opposed this war from the very beginning as an absurd method to eradicate terrorism. He said that Cuba reiterates that continued attacks against Afghanistan can only bring more hatred and ever-increasing dangers of new terrorist actions. And he added that no one has the right to continue murdering children, aggravating the humanitarian crisis, visiting impoverishment and death on millions of refugees. During his address before the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Cuba's foreign minister said that Havana's position is not based on ill feelings against the country that has been the island's adversary for more than 40 years. Cuba's position is inspired by a sincere constructive spirit and a sense of respect for and sympathy towards the people of the United States, which suffered an unjustifiable and atrocious terrorist attack last September 11th. The Cuban foreign minister added that his country's position is also based on the aspiration of peace and justice for all the peoples of the world. Speaking to UN delegates Tuesday morning, Felipe Perez Roque took aim at Washington's allegation that it is leading an international coalition in a war against terrorism. The Cuban foreign minister asked, "What international coalition are we talking about? What is its legitimacy based on -- if it has started by stridently disregarding the General Assembly of the United Nations?" Perez Roque said that a truly effective and lasting alliance to fight terrorism can only emerge in the framework of the UN Charter -- in which all countries, big and small, take part with a full understanding of everyone's positions. He said the U.S. has not fostered international cooperation, but rather imposed its war on a unilateral basis -- stating that whoever does not go along with them is on the side of terror. Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque said that the world was surprised to learn of the official announcement of the United States to the Security Council that it reserved the right to decide whether or not to attack other countries in the future. Cuba's top diplomat asked what happened to the United Nations Charter and how can this unprecedented threat is interpreted as an exercise of the right to legitimate self-defense? He asked if such a declaration is just simply a vulgar excuse to unleash attacks against other countries? During his speech before the UN General Assembly, the island's foreign minister said that Cuba continues to believe that it is still possible to halt the escalation of a useless, brutal war that threatens to further plunge the poor peoples of the planet into hopelessness, insecurity and death. He said that the poor are by no means responsible for any act of terrorism, but will be -- and already are -- the main victims of such senseless actions. Havana's foreign minister said that Cuba is willing to join a coalition against poverty, famine, ignorance, diseases, the scourge of AIDS that is currently decimating the African continent; a coalition in favor of sustainable development, in favor of the preservation of the environment and against the destruction of the planet. And the island's top diplomat said that a coalition is needed to come together to seek justice against terrorism -- but to do so without war. He said we must come together to save from death the hundreds of thousands of poor women who every year die at childbirth; to save 12 million children who die of preventable diseases every year in the Third World before the age of five; to get medications against AIDS to the 25 million Africans who are hopelessly awaiting death; come together to invest in development at least a portion of the billions already spent to carpet-bomb a country where almost nothing has been left standing. Finally, Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque reiterated Havana's outright condemnation of the terrorist actions committed last September 11th in New York and Washington. He said that Cuba reiterates its condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and will never allow its territory to be used for terrorist actions against the people of the United States or of any other country. *CUBA RECEIVES MESSAGES OF SOLIDARITY FOR DAMAGES CAUSED BY HURRICANE Havana, November 13 (RHC)-- Cuba continues to receive messages of solidarity and support from organizations and countries around the world. On Monday, the Latin American Parliament expressed its solidarity with the Cuban people and its willingness to offer cooperation to assist the island in recovery efforts. The Nicaraguan Committees in Solidarity with Cuba expressed support for the island by sending medicines and food to help deal with the damages caused in the wake of Hurricane Michelle's sweep across the island. A communiqué issued by various Cuba Friendship Groups, extended deep feeling of solidarity to the Cuban people and government over the severe losses and damages caused by the hurricane and pledged to send medicine and milk for Cuban children. *REGIONAL MEETING BEGINS TO OPPOSE FREE TRADE AREA OF THE AMERICAS Havana, November 13 (RHC)-- Havana is the site beginning Tuesday of a regional meeting to oppose the U.S.-proposed Free Trade Area of the America's -- which is seen by many as Washington's latest attempt to annex Latin America and the Caribbean. Some 400 delegates from over 30 nations are attending the event, representing regional NGOs, trade unions, farmers, women and intellectuals, students, religious and other social organizations, as well as parliamentary bodies. In addition to the Latin American and Caribbean delegates, large numbers of anti-globalization activists from the United States and Canada are also participating. The event's organizers say that the broad representation at the meeting of the most varied sectors of society is due to the fact that if implemented, the FTAA would affect all Latin American and Caribbean peoples. Among issues being discussed by the delegates are: "The FTAA and the Economic Integration of Latin America and the Caribbean," "Trade and Investment within the FTAA," "Intellectual Property, Work Relations and the Environment." The Havana meeting is a follow up to the Summit of the Peoples, held earlier this year in Quebec, Canada, parallel to the 3rd Summit of the Americas, in which 34 regional governments, acting without the consent of their constituents, agreed that the FTAA should be fully implemented by the year 2005. The aim of the Havana and other follow up meetings is to create public awareness about the FTAA and the danger it poses to the peoples of the region. *FIRST SECRETARY OF VIETNAM'S COMMUNIST PARTY MEETS CUBAN OFFICIALS Havana, November 13 (RHC)-- The close links of friendship between Cuba and Viet Nam were once again underscored after a meeting held on Monday in Havana between Cuban Communist Party official, Ramon Balaguer, who heads the Party's Foreign Affairs Department, and Nguyen Phu trong, First Secretary of the Viet Nam Communist Party of Hanoi. Balaguer gave his Vietnamese counterpart a detailed explanation of the damages caused by Hurricane Michelle to the island. The dialogue marked the end of the first day of Phu Throng's activities. The Vietnamese Communist Party official is visiting Cuba at the invitation of Cuban president, Fidel Castro. Phu Trong is accompanied by a delegation made up by the Vice-president of Viet Nam government, Do Hoang An, members of the Hanoi Communist Party, Nguyen Manh Kiem and Nguyen Chi My, as well as trade union, educational and commercial leaders. The Vietnamese visitor and his delegation paid homage to the monument of the Cuban National Hero, Jose Marti, located in the Square of the Revolution where he was given an explanation of Marti's life, who Phu Trong called the founder of solidarity between Cuba and Viet Nam. The first secretary of the Hanoi's Communist Party told reporters in the Cuban capital that revolutionary and anti-imperialist ideas as well as the defense of national independence and integration make up the ideological thought of the Cuban people. Phu Trong praised the achievements of the Cuban people and expressed confidence that, under the leadership of President Fidel Castro, the island will overcome the difficulties and achieve new projects. *NORTHERN ALLIANCE WALKS INTO AFGHAN CAPITAL, ABANDONED BY TALIBAN Kabul, November 13 (RHC)-- Troops from the Northern Alliance literally walked into the Afghan capital of Kabul Tuesday morning, after Taliban forces had abandoned the city. Taliban troops reportedly moved south and allowed the Northern Alliance to enter Kabul, despite calls by the United States and Britain on anti-Taliban forces not to occupy the capital until a coalition government is formed. According to news reports from the Afghan capital, troops of the Northern Alliance are executing prisoners and looting abandoned Taliban positions -- causing many in Washington and London to have doubts about the future of its allies. The New York Times reported on Tuesday that the Northern Alliance has chosen to celebrate its apparent victory with summary executions. The influential news daily said that in one instance, Alliance soldiers dragged a wounded Taliban soldier out of a ditch, pulled him to his feet, searched him and emptied his pockets -- then fired bullets into the terrified man as he begged for his life. The New York Times reports that another soldier beat the lifeless body with his rifle butt while a third repeatedly smashed a rocket-propelled-grenade launcher into the man's head. Other news agencies reported Tuesday that the Northern Alliance forces are running wild through the streets of Kabul, attacking empty bunkers, stealing shoes, bags of sugar, flashlights and anything else that they can find. A number of observers in Washington are saying that the looting and executions have U.S. government officials worried. Others insist that while the Afghan capital appears to be in the hands of the Northern Alliance, the war is far from over. Taliban positions in the south, where the majority of the country's inhabitants are of the same ethnic group, have now been re-enforced and are lying in wait for advancing troops allied with the U.S. and Britain. *U.S. WARPLANES BOMB OFFICES OF AL-JAZEERA TELEVISION IN KABUL Doha, November 13 (RHC)-- Qatar's al-Jazeera television said on Tuesday that U.S. warplanes bombed its offices in Kabul just hours before Northern Alliance forces entered the Afghan capital. The satellite television station, which has often angered officials in Washington by broadcasting a different slant on the U.S. war against Afghanistan, said no one was injured in the bombing. But the TV station said it had lost contact with its correspondent in the city, Tayseer Allouni, and other staff members following the attack. Al-Jazeera television has been harshly criticized by Washington for transmitting images of U.S. bombing victims in Afghanistan, including women and children. Many analysts believe the existence of the Qatar-based satellite TV station threatens the U.S. propaganda war and Washington's claims that civilians are not being targeted, but are instead victims of bombing "errors." *Viewpoint: JUST RHETORIC? Though far from the political unity so necessary in these times, Latin America managed to express a coherent message in the 56th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Various region leaders agreed that the struggle against terrorism is sure to fail if the causes that engender it are not eradicated. "The road to the future, stated Brazilian president, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, requires that the forces of globalization are employed in the search for a lasting peace, sustained not by fear, but rather by the voluntary acceptance of a fair international order." Colombia's president, Andrés Pastrana, added, "globalization is an asymmetric reality which has brought with it discontent and conflict." The president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, told the United Nations General Assembly that "the struggle against terrorism must become a war against war, in order to achieve peace." Chilean President Ricardo Lagos recalled, "What makes our citizens vulnerable today, in addition to terrorism, is ignorance, hunger, drug trafficking, climatic change and uncontrolled migration." Vicente Fox, the president of Mexico, spoke in similar terms noting that the new threats to peace and security arise from internal conflicts that affect entire regions. Among those problems Fox listed the massive movements of displaced persons, violations of human rights, and the exacerbation of nationalism and religious fanaticism. For Peru's leader, Alejandro Toledo, an urgent reduction is needed in military spending in Latin America and worldwide in order to use those funds to help end poverty, which along with corruption and drug trafficking, make democracy impossible. Meanwhile, the president of Argentina, Fernando de la Rua, said that the focus on terrorism would be incomplete without recognizing the existence of factors that perpetrate it. The Argentine leader listed as among the causes of terrorism " the unequal distribution of wealth, which sparks frustration and despair in wide sectors of the population and generates the conditions which breed conflicts and fundamentalism." Guatemalan President Alfonso Portillo stated that the fight against violence is the "struggle against inequality in international economic relations." Clearly, all these points of view reflect the comprehension that economic and social inequalities sow the seeds of terrorism. But this step forward must go far beyond the boundaries of rhetoric. The more than 225 million Latin Americas, who are the victims of this economic and social silent terrorism, are depending on it. (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-31373 2001-Nov-13 20:59:39