Radio Havana Cuba-28 February 2002 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 28 Febuary 2002 . *RADIO MARTI PROVOKES SERIOUS INCIDENT AT MEXICAN EMBASSY IN HAVANA *ARGENTINES DEMONSTRATE AGAINST ANTI-CUBA POSITION OF FOREIGN MINISTER *11th INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR GEARS UP TO HEAD WEST *CUBAN MINISTER HIGHLIGHTS JAPANESE COOPERATION WITH THE ISLAND *FILM EXHIBITION IN CENTRAL PROVINCE OF CAMAGUEY Viewpoint: *ANOTHER PROVOCATION FAILS TO SULLY RELATIONS BETWEEN CUBA AND MEXICO . *RADIO MARTI PROVOKES SERIOUS INCIDENT AT MEXICAN EMBASSY IN HAVANA Havana, February 28 (RHC)--A serious incident, provoked by anti-Cuba radio transmissions from the United States, took place last night at Mexico's Embassy in the Cuban capital. Early Thursday morning, the Cuban government issued an official statement, which we feature in its entirety: Official Note On Wednesday night, an incident took place at the Embassy of Mexico in Cuba. A group of anti-social elements attempted to force their way into, and partially succeeded in penetrating, the embassy -- located on the corner of 7th Avenue and 12th Street in the neighborhood of Miramar. Several dozen people had been milling around the vicinity for hours during the afternoon and later dispersed. At approximately 9:30 at night, several seemingly coordinated groups of people approached the Mexican Embassy from 12th and 14th Streets. Just a few minutes later, around 20 individuals hijacked a passenger bus on 10th Street between 5th and 7th Avenue in Miramar. They went down 12th at full speed and rammed the bus into the entrance of the embassy, penetrating the building. Those standing around outside tried to force their way into the embassy through the gap opened by the bus, but were stopped by about 40 police officers from the municipality of Playa who were sent to the area as soon as there were indications of an unusual situation at the diplomatic offices. What had happened? What was the immediate and direct cause of these events? Tuesday night, the 26th, Mexican Foreign Minister Jorge Castañeda spoke during the inauguration of the Mexican Cultural Institute in Miami. According to a cable from the EFE News Agency early Wednesday morning, the 27th, he said, verbatim: "This cultural institute belongs to all the people of Mexico, as it belongs to all Latin Americans and, of course, to all Cuban-Americans." EFE says he went on to invite the Latino community of Miami, especially the Cuban community, to feel at home in the cultural institution. According to a news cable from ANSA, Castañeda added: "The doors of the Embassy of Mexico in Havana are open to all Cuban citizens, in the same way that Mexico is open." These words, pronounced the previous night by Mr. Castañeda, were immediately taken by Radio Martí and cynically manipulated. At 7:31 yesterday morning (Wednesday, February 27), the radio station aired the following sensationalist news item: "Mexican Foreign Minister Jorge Castañeda reiterated in Miami that the doors of the Embassy of his country in Havana are open for all Cuban citizens, adding that Mexico is also open in the same way." The radio station reported that the Mexican foreign minister reiterated the position expressed after his return to Mexico following his visit to Cuba: "Mexico's relations with the Cuban Revolution have ceased to exist and have begun with the Republic of Cuba." This sentence was framed in such a way that it was interpreted as if diplomatic relations between Mexico and Cuba had just been broken. The news story was repeated throughout the entire day: at 8:33 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 9:32 a.m., 10:31 a.m., 4:04 p.m., 6:07 p.m. and 8:01 p.m. In total, the false and perfidious news item was aired eight times. It was an open call to occupy the Embassy of Mexico in Cuba. Incited by mercenary elements that act in the service of the United States, common criminals stimulated by the murderous Cuban Adjustment Act saw the immediate possibility of taking advantage of what they interpreted as an invitation by Castañeda, by forcing their way into the Mexican Embassy and to then traveling to the United States. It is a gross provocation, openly organized by an official radio station of the United States Government. February 28, 2002 / 2:55 a.m. *ARGENTINES DEMONSTRATE AGAINST ANTI-CUBA POSITION OF FOREIGN MINISTER Buenos Aires, February 28 (RHC)--More than 100 people demonstrated in the Argentine capital against the anti-Cuba position of Foreign Minister Carlos Ruckauf. The protesters condemned the Argentine foreign minister's support of Washington's plans to condemn Cuba before the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva. Demonstrators shouted slogans and carried placards denouncing the Argentine foreign minister. Organizers told reporters that they were angry over the position adopted by the country's Foreign Ministry regarding alleged human rights violations on the island. During a recent visit to Washington, Argentina's foreign minister commented that Buenos Aires would support the U.S. position against Cuba at the upcoming UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva. The protesters charged that it is the United States that is responsible for the imposition of a genocidal policy against Havana, which violates the human rights of the entire Cuban people. They noted that the statements of Foreign Minister Carlos Ruckauf and Argentina's position at the UN commission in April could constitute payment in exchange for promises of U.S. loans to lift the nation out of its current financial and social crisis. *11th INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR GEARS UP TO HEAD WEST Santa Clara, February 28 (RHC)--The 11th International Book Fair is gearing up to head to the western provinces of the island. The popular Book Fair is now underway in six cities: Santa Clara, Sagua la Grande, Sancti Spíritus, Ciego de Avila, Morón and Camagüey. On Monday, it will head west to Santiago de Cuba. This year, the giant fiesta of books is travelling to a total of 18 cities. By the end of the Fair, an estimated three million books will have been purchased by Cuban readers. In Havana, during the first ten-days of the Book Fair, more than 230,000 people attended the annual event at the San Carlos de la Cabaña Fortress. *CUBAN MINISTER HIGHLIGHTS JAPANESE COOPERATION WITH THE ISLAND Havana, February 28 (RHC)--A Cuban government official highlighted Wednesday the good atmosphere that prevails in Cuba-Japan cooperation. Speaking to the press in Havana following the signing of several joint cooperation agreements, the Cuban Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Minister, Marta Lomas, also stressed the good spirit and serious work on the part of the Japanese cooperation agency in Cuba. The minister said that a new feature in Japanese cooperation with the island -- that of cultural assistance -- had been initiated. She noted the importance of the signing of the first study to build a sewerage system around the Havana port, a project that will greatly contribute to the decontamination of the bay. And Marta Lomas said that two million dollars have already been set aside for the study. Japanese Ambassador to Cuba, Mutsuo Mabuchi, asserted that the just-signed cooperation agreements were part of the actions envisioned by Japan to mark 100 years of bilateral relations. He explained that the new cooperation agreements with Cuba cover the areas of poultry and egg production, forest protection, and urban agriculture, as well as audiovisual equipment for Havana's Asia House and hospital equipment. *FILM EXHIBITION IN CENTRAL PROVINCE OF CAMAGUEY Camagüey, February 28 (RHC)--Residents of the central province of Camagüey will have the opportunity to see more than 100 movies from the Americas, Europe and Asia as part of the 10th National Film Critics Workshop. Running the entire month of March, film showings start Friday in the Nuevo Mundo Theater. Beginning on March 12th, the Guerrero, Casa Blanca and Alcazar movie theaters will also be screening special films. Among the movies film lovers are waiting to see are Cuba's two latest feature-length offerings, "Nada" by first time feature director, Juan Carlos Cremata and veteran movie maker, Orlando Rojas' "Nights of Constantinople." The two films have only been seen in the last International Festival of New Latin American Film, which was held in Havana last December. In addition to many different genre and geographical representation, the exhibition will feature a number of films nominated for the 2002 Oscar awards, including "Moulin Rouge" and "El Hijo de la Novia" or the Son of the Bride. The next Movie Critics Workshop runs from March 12th through the 16th in the city of Camagüey, where the event has been held annually since 1993. Delegates will examine, among other topics, the Art of Criticism and the Current State of Film Production in Cuba. Viewpoint: *ANOTHER PROVOCATION FAILS TO SULLY RELATIONS BETWEEN CUBA AND MEXICO Sometimes the tongue can be the human body's most dangerous organ, especially when it works without first consulting the brain. Mexican Foreign Minister, Jorge Castañeda, just learned such a lesson, when, apparently without considering the possible consequences, he made statements on Monday during the opening of the Mexican Cultural Center in Miami. What happened was that the Mexican foreign minister made a strange mixture of inauguration and Cuba policy and what came out was that the Mexican Embassy in Havana is open to all the island's citizens, as is Mexico. Strictly speaking, that is true given the close friendship that exists between the two countries after a hundred years of uninterrupted diplomatic relations. One could also say that all Mexicans should feel at home in Cuba, where they will be treated as part of the family and without a doubt, our embassy in Mexico would be honored by the visit of any citizen of that country. But there are things which, said in a particular ambiance, can be easily twisted and manipulated by unethical news media, especially when they systematically hide facts and spread lies in what has for decades been a dirty war against Cuba. We are referring more specifically to a federally funded US radio station that has operated as the mouthpiece of the Miami-based Cuban-American mafia. This official U.S. radio station, improperly named "Radio Marti," was quick to take Castañeda's statements, twisting them and then re-transmitting them no fewer than eight times in one day. The intent was to make it appear as if the Mexican Embassy in Cuba was ready to extend entry visas to all Cubans who applied. Imagine if you can, what would happen if the U.S. Secretary of State said that the US Embassy in Mexico was open to all citizens of that nation, as was U.S. territory. Then what if a news agency reported the statement in such a way as to imply that all Mexicans who wished to emigrate to the United States had only to appear at the embassy and apply for an entrance visa? That is the kind of chaos that Radio Marti was hoping to spark in Havana with such an irresponsible handling of information. It eventually succeeded in mobilizing a handful of ill-informed individuals who, in violation of international and Cuban law, forced their way into the Mexican embassy in Havana. But for the rest of Cubans, it was a normal day. What will remain is the indignation over the lies and the clumsy attempt to cause problems with a country so highly esteemed by our people. Sooner or later those responsible for this poorly executed farce will be discovered. And we are not referring to those who have always acted as spokespersons for the anti-Cuba community in Miami, but rather to those hiding in the shadows, those whose names and faces will someday come to light. (c) 2002 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-28405 2002-Mar-02 02:49:35