Radio Havana Cuba-19 November 2001 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 19 November 2001 . *FIDEL CASTRO MEETS WITH STUDENT ATTENDEES AT MEETING TO OPPOSE FTAA *CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER RETURNS TO HAVANA FROM UNITED NATIONS *UNESCO DIRECTOR GENERAL SENDS MESSAGE OF SOLIDARITY TO CUBA *LONDON POSTPONES DEPLOYMENT OF MORE TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN *VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ DENIES RUMORS OF COUP, BUT SAYS HE'LL BE READY WITH "RIFLE IN HAND" *THOUSANDS PROTEST US MILITARY SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS AT IN GEORGIA *BOMBARDMENT OF AL JAZEERA OFFICE IN KABUL COULD SIGNAL GROWING DANGER FOR INDEPENDENT WAR CORRESPONDENTS *MEXICAN AUTHORITIES ON THE DEFENSIVE IN YET ANOTHER HUMAN RIGHTS CASE Viewpoint: *FALLING FAR SHORT OF EXPECTATIONS OF ELEVEN YEARS AGO, ANOTHER IBERO-AMERICAN SUMMIT GETS UNDERWAY THIS WEEK IN PERU . *FIDEL CASTRO MEETS WITH STUDENT ATTENDEES AT MEETING TO OPPOSE FTAA Havana, November 19 (RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro personally met over the weekend with nearly 100 students who attended the Hemispheric Meeting to Oppose the Free Trade Area of the Americas. The meeting -- with students from a dozen countries around the region -- appropriately took place on International Student's Day. Among the issues discussed with the Cuban leader was the dramatic situation in the universities -- where students are being trained for the marketplace, rather than for life experiences. The students said that most educational institutions in their countries have been privatized and are now merely businesses concerned with making a profit. Expressing their appreciation for the assistance given to their countries by the Cuban Revolution in the areas of health care and education, the students personally thanked Fidel Castro for Cuba's solidarity with the people of Latin America over the years. The Cuban president talked about his years as a student and the importance of the student movement in the struggle against the Batista dictatorship in Cuba. During his talk with the students, Fidel Castro emphasized the threats to education posed by neo-liberal globalization and the Free Trade Area of the Americas, the FTAA. Over the past week, the students had attended the Hemispheric Meeting to Oppose the FTAA, which wrapped up on Friday. Many said they were returning to their countries even more convinced that the so-called regional free trade zone is nothing more than a U.S. plan to economically annex Latin America and the Caribbean. *CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER RETURNS TO HAVANA FROM UNITED NATIONS Havana, November 19 (RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque returned to Havana over the weekend, following the closing of the 56th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He told reporters that he was quite satisfied with the work of Cuba's delegation at the UN, which he described as "intense and productive." The island's top diplomat said he met with the heads of more than 50 delegations to the UN session over the past week, noting that many expressed interest in Cuba's recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Michelle. He also pointed to the working meetings he held with foreign ministers from Ibero-American countries, as well as the Movement of Non-Aligned Nations and the Group of 77. The Cuban foreign minister's packed agenda at the United Nations included an exchange with leaders from the European Union, at the request of EU President and Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Louis Michel. It was agreed to resume the dialogue in Havana later this month. Perez Roque said he believes the meeting will take place in an atmosphere of understanding and respect for the island's independence. Havana's top diplomat also noted that Cuba took part in all the working commissions of the UN General Assembly. The commissions submitted ten draft resolutions -- including those on the right to food, against the use of unilateral force and in defense of international law. Perez Roque said that Cuba's annual resolution -- calling for an end to the U.S. economic blockade against the island -- is scheduled to be presented on November 27th. Regarding the fight against terrorism -- an issue widely discussed during this year's UN session -- the Cuban foreign minister emphasized that Havana has signed-on to three international conventions against terrorism, as recommended by the United Nations. He said he formally presented the conventions at UN Headquarters last Thursday. According to the Cuban Foreign Ministry, these three newly signed conventions are part of the seven passed by the National Assembly of People's Power last October 4th. Four other agreements against terrorism will be officially signed in the coming days -- part of Cuba's commitment to sign all of the United Nations' conventions related to the fight against terrorism. Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque also announced that the Cuban Parliament would take up the discussion of new, more stringent legislation against terrorism when it meets again next month. However, the Cuban official reiterated that the problem of terrorism can only be confronted with real international cooperation, conducted in the framework of the United Nations. Noting that the so-called "war against terrorism" led by the United States and Britain totally ignores the United Nations, the Cuban foreign minister said that the need for profound reform and democratization of the world body is now more important than ever. *UNESCO DIRECTOR GENERAL SENDS MESSAGE OF SOLIDARITY TO CUBA Paris, November 19 (RHC)-- The Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Koichiro Matsuura, has sent a message of solidarity to the Cuban people -- still recovering from Hurricane Michelle. In a telegram addressed to Cuban President Fidel Castro, the head of the UN agency expressed his commitment to help the island in whatever is necessary. He noted that recovery efforts are continuing throughout the affected areas and have accelerated. The storm, which slammed into Cuba on November 4th, was the worst hurricane to hit the island in more than 50 years. The devastating storm affected about 45 percent of the island's territory -- a little over five million of the country's 11 million inhabitants. Cuba has long maintained excellent relations with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization -- and has received recognition from UNESCO for outstanding achievements in educational and cultural projects over the years. *LONDON POSTPONES DEPLOYMENT OF MORE TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN London, November 19 (RHC)-- London has postponed plans to send another 6000 troops to Afghanistan due to Northern Alliance opposition to their deployment, according to the BBC. The BBC reported Monday that the Northern Alliance is virtually refusing to cooperate with nearly 100 British troops sent in advance last week to an airport on the outskirts of Kabul. According to the British newspaper "Daily Telegraph," an unnamed source from Britain's Defense Ministry asserted that it's preferable that this happens now instead of their troops being betrayed six weeks from now. The news daily also quoted acting Northern Alliance Interior Minister Younis Qanouni, who asserted that they don't expect or need more foreign troops. At the same time, France is negotiating deployment of some 60 French troops in Mazar-I-Sharif, which the Northern Alliance has thus far not agreed to. Meanwhile, in an effort to dissipate fears that the alliance doesn't want to share power, over the weekend UN special representative Francesc Vendrell said that top alliance officials appear sincere in their promise that they won't try to limit other groups to token participation, and that they will be willing to hold a conference on Afghanistan's political future outside of Kabul - but observers and diverse news agencies are asserting that in private, western diplomats aren't so sure. U.S. officials applauded the diplomatic developments but continued to warn the Northern Alliance against going it alone. According to one unnamed Pakistani-based western diplomat, the conference on the country's political future will have to happen in days, not weeks, due to the Northern Alliance's rapid consolidation of power. Rifaat Hussain, chairman of the Department of Defense and Strategic Studies at Quaid-I-Azam University in Islamabad, stated that a delay runs the risk of a slide back into the rule of warlords. *VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ DENIES RUMORS OF COUP, BUT SAYS HE'LL BE READY WITH "RIFLE IN HAND" Caracas, November 19 (RHC)-- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Sunday dismissed rumors of a possible military coup in his country, but warned that if there were any such insurrection he would meet it with "rifle in hand." With opinion polls alleging that Chavez's popularity has begun to slip, the opposition-run media and other right-wing forces have played on rumors of discontent in the armed forces. Two weeks ago, military chiefs felt it necessary to issue a written statement expressing their full support of the Venezuelan president, while at the same time announcing that there are pockets of conspiracy in the country, and that they're being investigated. In an interview with the local Televen TV channel, Chavez said that within the armed forces there is a deep awareness of the need for the profound changes his government is undertaking. *THOUSANDS PROTEST US MILITARY SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS AT IN GEORGIA Columbus, November 19 (RHC)-- At the U.S. military "School of the Americas," thousands gathered Sunday to protest against the training of torturers and assassins in Latin America's armed forces. More than 40 people were arrested for either illegally entering the Fort Benning military base in Georgia or obstructing the entrance with sit-ins. On this occasion, Fort Benning spokesman Rich McDowell said all were released after receiving a warning and being banned from coming near the installation for a period of five years. Following the protest, another 31 activists were arrested in Columbus, Georgia for participating in what was called 'an illegal gathering' -- the first time municipal police have arrested anti-School of the Americas protesters since the yearly demonstrations began 11 years ago. Every year since 1990, human rights and peace activists demonstrate at the military installation on or near the anniversary of a massacre of Jesuit priests by the Salvadoran military in 1989. Many of the members of the Central American nation's commando who carried out the summary executions were trained at the School of the Americas, called by activists "the School of Assassins." A number of the activists have been arrested and have served federal prison sentences on more than one occasion. Eight of those arrested Sunday had been detained during other protests at Fort Benning. *BOMBARDMENT OF AL JAZEERA OFFICE IN KABUL COULD SIGNAL GROWING DANGER FOR INDEPENDENT WAR CORRESPONDENTS London, November 19 (RHC)-- The British news daily "The Guardian" has reported that the U.S. bombardment of the Al Jazeera offices in Kabul could mark a turning point in war reporting. An article entitled "How Smart Was This Bomb?" affirmed that if the Qatar-based TV station was targeted deliberately because of its contacts with the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden, news organizations covering wars and conflicts could now suffer retaliation simply for reporting a side of that story that one party wants suppressed. The article noted that Nik Gowing, a presenter on BBC World, attempted to get the issue raised at last week's News World Conference in Barcelona, arguing that Al Jazzera's only crime was that it was bearing witness to events that the U.S. would rather it did not see. Gowing reportedly demanded that the Pentagon be called to account for the destruction of Al Jazeera's Kabul office, but few senior news executives were prepared to go on record and give credence to the theory that the bombardment was deliberate. U.S. officials have criticized Al Jazeera, which reaches more than 35 million Arabs, for coverage of the bombing that Washington has called inflammatory propaganda. "The Guardian" noted that while the situation is still confused, what can't be disputed is that Al Jazeera was hit and the bomb almost took out the neighboring BBC office. Also noting that wars are organized chaos, and that however much it likes to suggest that it is capable of precision bombing, the news daily also affirmed that it's clear that the U.S. has little idea of what has and has not been hit in this instance. *MEXICAN AUTHORITIES ON THE DEFENSIVE IN YET ANOTHER HUMAN RIGHTS CASE Mexico City, November 19 (RHC)-- The government of Mexico is under scrutiny once again following the recent assassination of prominent attorney and human rights activist Digna Ochoa and public death threats against other activists. The Inter-American Human Rights Commission had recommended that by Friday authorities should release from prison a Mexican army general condemned to 28 years in prison on charges of illicit enrichment and dishonor towards the military -- though human rights activists say he was targeted for requesting the establishment of a special human rights office within the armed forces. Amnesty International and numerous other local and international human rights groups have taken up the banner of 54-year-old General Jose Gallardo, but Mexican authorities refused to heed the IHRC recommendation -- stating that Gallardo can appeal his case. Gallardo told media outlets in telephone interviews that through intermediaries, President Vicente Fox offered to grant him a pardon, but he refused. He said he would not accept any resolution to his situation that results in impunity for the military officers who imprisoned him. The IHRC stated that if Mexico didn't comply, it would take the case to the Inter-American Human Rights Court. Viewpoint: *FALLING FAR SHORT OF EXPECTATIONS OF ELEVEN YEARS AGO, ANOTHER IBERO-AMERICAN SUMMIT GETS UNDERWAY THIS WEEK IN PERU Over the past 11 years, the Ibero-American community has changed. Unfortunately, the change has been for the worse and very far from the hopes created in Guadalajara -- when, for the first time, the region's heads of state and governments met together without the company of the United States. Perhaps having kept Washington out of the gatherings and away from the most important discussions, despite its reiterated attempts to impose itself, is the Ibero-American Summits' most important achievement. But apart from that, little has been done in the way of creating concrete actions for the peoples of those nations in the areas of education, health or in the creation of desperately needed jobs. This coming weekend, Lima, the capital of Peru, will welcome legions of experts, observers, politicians, journalists and officials, who create the ambiance of these gatherings; this time tinged by the recurrent topic of terrorism. Recent experiences have shown that Cuban President Fidel Castro was correct when he said in the last Ibero-America Summit in Panama that terrorism cannot be particularized; that all types of terrorist actions must be condemned. Unfortunately, that lesson has proven to be an expensive one for thousands of people: those in Washington, New York, Kabul or Kandahar, who are suffering the consequences of an evil that has arisen out of the very structures of a capitalist society in which individualism, competition and violence breed extremist actions. Since last September 11th, condemnation of terrorism has practically rained down worldwide, little has been done to eliminate the true causes. And in the war that the United States and Great Britain are leading against a poor and backward nation, the only thing that has been achieved is sowing the seeds of more hatred, which sooner or later will bear the bitter fruits that none of us desire. (c) 2001 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. 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