Radio Havana Cuba-29 January 2002 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 29 January 2002 . *FIDEL ADDRESSES CLOSING SESSION OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CONGRESS *U.S. PRESSURES LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES TO PRESENT ITS ANNUAL ANTI-CUBA RESOLUTION AT UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION *BLOCKADE OF CUBA COSTS US FARMERS MORE THAN $1 BILLION A YEAR - STUDY *VIETNAM'S AMBASSADOR VISITS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK IN HOLGUIN *JOSE MARTI REMEMBERED IN HANOI *GENERAL COORDINATOR OF SPANISH OPPOSITION POLITICAL PARTY VISITS CUBA *CUBA REAFFIRMS SUPPORT FOR MEXICO'S SEAT ON UN SECURITY COUNCIL *WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMS DECISION TO REFUSE TALIBAN PRISONERS POW STATUS *ISRAELI TROOPS RAID PALESTINIAN TOWN *Viewpont: CUBA AND HONDURAS RENEW RELATIONS . *FIDEL ADDRESSES CLOSING SESSION OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CONGRESS Havana, January 29 (RHC)--Cuban President Fidel Castro, Monday, addressed the participants at the closing session of the 10th Congress of the Federation High School Students, which took place over the last three days at Havana's Convention Center. During the conference 1300 delegates representing school children all over the country analyzed and discussed the current educational system in Cuba and proposed solutions to counteract problems relating to lack of materials, school buildings in bad repair and transportation. In his closing address to the students, the Cuban leader told them that they are on the threshold of a new era in Cuban education. Due to the special period, as the country's economic crunch is known, which brought about severe financial curtailment of funds, schools and other institutions suffered from lack of investment. He pointed out that the Cuban Ministry of Education has embarked on a program that will benefit all educational sectors and that they could look forward to better resources and conditions. The Monday plenary session of the 10th congress of Cuban high school children concluded with a commitment that the congress would remain open and at the request of President Fidel Castro, delegates would meet again in three months to review the implementation of new initiatives to improve high school education. In the meantime, the 1,300 delegates were presented with the first volume of a set of history books, written by a group of renowned Cuban professors and signed by Fidel Castro. *U.S. PRESSURES LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES TO PRESENT ITS ANNUAL ANTI-CUBA RESOLUTION AT UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Havana, January 29 (RHC)--Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque has accused the United States of pressuring Latin American governments to present its annual resolution against the island at the United Nations Human Rights Commission. In an interview with Prensa Latina News Agency, the Cuban foreign minister said that Havana is confident that regional members of the Geneva-based UN Commission will assume a dignified position despite pressures and threats from Washington. The top Cuban diplomat warned that the United States would try to condemn Cuba in Geneva, using all kinds of pressures on Latin American countries to get them to present Washington's resolution -- given that the Czech Republic does not want to sponsor it this year. Felipe Perez Roque said that Prague feels it has already paid its debt to their masters in Washington. Cuba's foreign minister pointed out that despite four decades of accusations of alleged human rights violations, the United States has not been able to fabricate one single case of a disappeared or tortured political prisoner. He also noted that Cuba -- supposedly the great violator of human rights, according to Washington -- has a life expectancy of 76 years, when there are many countries in the Third World with a life expectancy of only 45 years. *BLOCKADE OF CUBA COSTS US FARMERS MORE THAN $1 BILLION A YEAR - STUDY Washington, January 29 (RHC)--A study commissioned by the Washington-based Cuba Policy Foundation shows that U.S. farmers are annually losing more than one billion dollars because of the U.S. blockade against the island. The study, entitled "Economic Impacts of U.S. Agricultural Exports to Cuba," was conducted by C. Parr Rosson and Flynn Adcock, professors of agricultural economics at Texas A&M University. In a statement released with the report, Rosson said that if the blockade were lifted, the average farmer in the U.S. "would feel a difference in his or her life within two to three years." Sally Grooms Cowal, president of the Cuba Policy Foundation, told reporters on Capitol Hill that the U.S. is losing out on as much as 3.6 billion dollars in related economic activity due to the blockade. She said that she hoped the newly released study would help encourage Congress to take steps to end the blockade, "if only to help out American farmers." The head of the Cuba Policy Foundation recently visited Cuba, along with delegations of congressional representatives and business people looking into future possibilities for relations between Havana and Washington. Political observers agree that the pressure is on from farmer's groups and pharmaceutical giants, as well as other major U.S. companies, who are anxious to do business with Cuba -- as soon as they are allowed by their government in Washington. *VIETNAM'S AMBASSADOR VISITS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK IN HOLGUIN Holguin, January 29 (RHC)--Vietnam's ambassador to Cuba, Thay Van Lung, on Monday visited the Celia Sanchez Training School for Social Workers, which was inaugurated by Fidel Castro last October. During his visit to the school, which is located in the eastern province of Holguin, the diplomat expressed an interest in viewing first-hand the course materials and methods developed by the school, which trains 2000 students from the provinces of Ciego de Avila, Camaguey, Las Tunas and Holguin. Speaking to the press, Thay Van Lung said that he was impressed with the emphasis put on students having direct links with the community during their training. He also praised the moral and humanitarian philosophy behind the instruction that the students were receiving and said that it reflects the socialist sentiments of the Cuban revolution. He pointed out that it is the young people who today are the principal force for change in the society. *JOSE MARTI REMEMBERED IN HANOI Hanoi, January 29 (RHC)--The work and ideals of Cuban national hero, Jose Marti were remembered today, Tuesday, at a celebratory event at the Cuban embassy in Hanoi. During the activity guests listened to selected pieces of verse and political thought written by Jose Marti. The 149th anniversary of the birth of Jose Marti was featured in all the Vietnamese media where he was remembered as a revolutionary, poet and writer. *GENERAL COORDINATOR OF SPANISH OPPOSITION POLITICAL PARTY VISITS CUBA Havana, January 29 (RHC)--The General Coordinator of the Spanish United Left Party, Gaspar Llamazares, Tuesday began a three-day official visit to Cuba, at the invitation of the Cuban Communist Party. Upon his arrival Monday evening in Havana, Llamazares said that the main reason for his visit was to expand his party's links with other countries. He said that he started with Cuba because this country has a strong tradition of left politics. He emphasized that after the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington last September 11th, it is even more important to unite the left in the fight against terrorism in order to bring another dimension to the solutions already in action. The Spanish political leader pointed out that it is crucial to coordinate the political forces of the left in Europe while Spain holds the European Union presidency. During his visit to Cuba, the general coordinator of the United Left Party and his delegation will have an intensive program including meetings with top government officials and visits to places of interest. *CUBA REAFFIRMS SUPPORT FOR MEXICO'S SEAT ON UN SECURITY COUNCIL Mexico City, January 29 (RHC)--Cuba's ambassador to Mexico, Jorge Bolanos, said Monday, that Cuba's vote for Mexico at the Security Council of the United Nations amply demonstrated Cuba's support for Mexico's role on the Council. Responding to questions from Prensa Latina news agency as he attended an event to commemorate the birth of Jose Marti, Bolanos said that Cuba's vote was prompted by Mexico's tradition of working to eliminate existing inequalities in the world order and the confidence that Mexico would continue to follow that path. Since the beginning of this year, Mexico and Colombia have been representing Latin America on the Security Council as non-permanent members. At a press conference at the end of last year, Mexican Foreign Minister, Jorge Castaneda said that he considered the seat on the Security Council one of the major successes of Mexican foreign politics and that they would take an active, energetic role in this international forum. According to Castaneda, from this new UN position, his country will also have the opportunity to promote its own interests within the new system of international relations. Mexico will preside over the Security Council for the month of February and according to some press reports, one of their main themes for discussion will be combating the financing of terrorism. *WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMS DECISION TO REFUSE TALIBAN PRISONERS POW STATUS Washington, January 29 (RHC)--Following a meeting with officials from the National Security Council on Tuesday, U.S. President George W. Bush said he was studying whether or not Taliban and Al Qaeda prisoners should be protected under the Geneva Convention -- but quickly emphasized that they would not be granted the status of prisoners of war. According to reports from Washington, Secretary of State Colin Powell had asked Bush to reconsider a decision he made two weeks ago that the Geneva Convention would not apply to the prisoners. While Powell agrees with the view that Taliban prisoners should not be classified as POWs, he has publicly stated that he favors granting them treatment under international law. Some U.S. officials have expressed concern that by denying the captives the protections of the Geneva Convention, the United States is setting a precedent that could put future U.S. battlefield captives at risk. The Bush administration has argued that the prisoners are terrorists and not conventional soldiers in a conventional war -- and therefore do not fall under the protection of the Geneva Convention. According to those rules, prisoners can refuse to answer questions during interrogation and must be repatriated when hostilities cease. The U.S. considers the captives "unlawful combatants" and wants the freedom to interrogate and hold those it suspects of terrorist actions. According to sources in Washington, citizens of at least 25 countries make up the population of 158 prisoners now being held at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantánamo. The countries include Britain, Australia, France, Belgium, Sweden, Algeria, Yemen, Afghanistan and Pakistan. A number of countries have hinted -- or directly implied -- that they have jurisdiction over their own citizens. The interior minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Nayef, said his government did not know the charges against its citizens, only that nearly 100 of them had been arrested in Afghanistan. He said that Saudi authorities are asking that they be handed over for interrogation. Critics say the United States is playing with the definition of war to suit its own political purposes. Kenneth Roth, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, said that Washington "cannot choose to wage war in Afghanistan with guns, bombs and soldiers, and then assert that the laws of war do not apply." *ISRAELI TROOPS RAID PALESTINIAN TOWN Bethlehem, January 29 (RHC)--Israeli troops raided a Palestinian town in the West Bank on Tuesday, as international criticism of Washington's position in the Middle East continues to grow. Israeli tanks and troops came under fire from Palestinians as they entered the town of Irtas, located just south of Bethlehem, around 3:30 in the morning. According to reports from the area, four Palestinians were wounded during the raid. Tel Aviv said its troops withdrew from the town several hours later. The increased violence comes at the same time that criticism of U.S. policy in the region is being heard around the world. Washington has threatened to cut Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat out of the picture altogether, or at least isolate the Palestine National Authority. In Brussels, foreign ministers from nations of the European Union have urged Israel and the United States not to weaken the Palestinian Authority, which they said should also do its part to dismantle so-called "terrorist networks." Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh sharply criticized Washington for publicly siding with Tel Aviv, saying that such actions are "dangerous" and could only exacerbate regional tensions. Washington also came under pressure from Arab countries. A Saudi newspaper reports that Jordan's King Abdullah -- during a visit to Washington later this week -- would warn the U.S. president of the dangers of suspending contacts with the Palestinians. The newspaper also said that Arab states planned to send a strongly worded message to Washington, saying that U.S. interests in the Arab world were at risk if it did not stop Israeli attacks on Palestinians. And in an interview published in Tuesday morning's edition of The New York Times, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah criticized what he called Washington's indefensible position with regard to the Middle East. *Viewpont: CUBA AND HONDURAS RENEW RELATIONS Cuba's adversaries, who are bent on isolating the island, were surprised and irritated over the news that Havana and the government of Honduras' outgoing president, Carlos Flores, have reestablished relations. Among the personalities to first register their disappointment over the sovereign act of Tegucigalpa, was El Salvador's president, Francisco Flores, who seems to be more concerned over the situation in Cuba than in his own country, where he has been harshly criticized for his questionable handling of international relief money donated to assist the victims of last year's earthquakes. Salvadoran social organizations have demanded more openness in the distribution of foreign assistance, because a year after the earthquakes, many made homeless by the disasters are still waiting for financial assistance to reconstruct their homes. Nevertheless, the announcement of the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Tegucigalpa and Havana was hailed by other social and political figures in Honduras and other Central American nations. The government of Ricardo Maduro, which will assume the presidency on Sunday, announced that it will respect Flores Facusse's decision and stressed that the administration will maintain its new links with Cuba. Since the Honduran decision, El Salvador stands alone in Latin America in maintaining an artificial distance with Cuba, since Costa Rica has relations at the consular level. The initiative of outgoing Honduran president, Carlos Flores Facusse, supported by Madura, opens the way for more exchanges with Cuba -- exchanges that had already begun to take form starting in l998, when Hurricane Mitch devastated Honduran territory, leaving some 23,000 deaths, injuries and homeless. After that natural disaster, Cuba sent hundreds of medical personnel to help out and today, under an agreement with the government, a brigade of 150 doctors is working in remote areas with difficult access, where there is a great need for medical care. And the work of these health professionals will continue thanks to the training in Havana's Latin American Medical School, where 500 young Hondurans are studying medicine completely free of charge. Cuba and Honduras are also engaged in trade, thus far modest in terms of volume, but the Interests Sections in both capitals are working to expand it. In order to facilitate economic cooperation with Cuba, the new Honduran authorities will rely on an investment promotion and protection agreement signed in August of the year 2001. The two parts will certainly examine the possibility of establishing sea links by which to transport merchandise between their countries. Projections of friendship and cooperation sparked by the renewal of diplomatic relations between Cuba and Honduras will certainly foment new economic exchange for the benefit of both countries. When some exhibit reticence when faced with the peoples of Latin America developing closer ties, it reveals political blindness, and a lack of understanding of history and tradition and a debt of loyal obsequiousness to powerful neighbors. (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-355 2002-Jan-30 04:02:14