> >from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >subject: Cuba press release 53b > FOR ALL DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS >HAVANA, THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2000 > >HAVANA.- Cuban President Fidel Castro announced that Juan Miguel >Gonzalez, father of child Elian, is ready to go the U.S. to take care >of his son. During a television round table discussion, the >President said that Gonzalez could travel accompanied by the >indispensable people according to the opinion of doctors, >psychiatrists and psychologists to proceed, without losing any >minute, for the readaptation of the minor to his family. This would >be a trip to get the boy back, awaiting for the result of the >appeal process in Atlanta, which would require of various weeks, >affirmed Fidel Castro. During the debate, the Cuban President >denounced Cuban American National Foundation (CANF) plans in the >person of late Jorge Mas Canosa former bodyguard to keep Elian. The >Cuban leader also revealed Cuban intelligence reports according to >which the CANF wanted to hide the minor in a third country to avoid >the action of the U.S. justice in the case of a decision against >their interests on the part of the Atlanta's court. > >WASHINGTON.- U.S. President Bill Clinton urged the Cuban child >Elian Gonzalez' retainers to fulfill the law if they lost his >custody, and he also discouraged the civil disobedience in Miami >which could be originated from the case. During a press conference >held at the White House, the President recalled it is about a legal >process and as such, the Florida based Gonzalez family should obey >the Appeal Court of Atlanta, Georgia, the last judicial level to >which the plaintiffs could appeal to seek for the extension of >the minor's custody. "The law should prevail in this case which I >have tried not to politicize", said Clinton, who together with Janet >Reno, U.S. Attorney General, was pronounced in favor the child's >return to Cuba. > >MANAGUA.- Cuban Reverend Jose Luis Soto a "Una cita with Dios" >(An Appointment with God) International Council director said in >Managua that Cuban child Elian Gonzalez must return to his father and >that has no further arguments. The Cuban Reverend, who has lived in >the U.S. for almost 30 years and is in Managua in an evangelic >mission, said the law has been established and the U.S. Attorney >General, Janet Reno has already confirmed it: Elian must be return to >his father. Then he said that the Cuban minor must legally return to >his father, and that has not further arguments. But other sectors and >factors favored by the U.S. legal system, which can not be violated >by Reno, President Bill Clinton or anybody, are being used by Elian's >Miami based distant relatives. > >HAVANA.- U.S. lawyer Jose Pertierra considered as irresponsible >the behaviour of Miami based mayors, who during a press conference >affirmed they will not cooperate with Elian Gonzalez' return. >Interviewed over the phone during a round table discussion, the >lawyer confirmed that they are just creating a political and legal >chaos. The presence of Miami based police is not required, it will be >enough with the federal governors, he said. They have challenged the >own U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, and even President Bill Clinton >would have the national guard option to interfere, but it is not >about this, he added. According to the lawyer, those legislators >should recognize that Miami is part of this country and they should >follow the law. > > HAVANA.- The uncertainty on whether the Cuban child Elian >Gonzalez' retainers will continue challenging the U.S. authorities >and which the reaction of the U.S. Immigration Service and the >Attorney General will be, prevails in Cuba. At dawn, the most >frequent question amongst those who were on the streets to go to >work, was if the great-uncles who illegally retain the minor in Miami >will sign or not the commitment that they will accept the decision by >the appeal court of Atlanta. The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization >Service (INS) warned the Miami based family that if they do not >fulfill the commitment, the temporary permit granted to the child >to remain in the U.S. will be withdrawn, and they will only wait >until Thursday at 09:00. > >WASHINGTON.- The U.S. influential daily The New York Times said that >the distant relatives who illegally retained Cuban child Elian >Gonzalez in Miami should accept the minor's return to Cuba. The paper >also presented, on its opinion pages, an article from Colombian >writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez previously published by Latin American >dailies, in which the author affirms, in a figurative way, that Elian >really shipwrecked when he was taken to U.S. dry land. On its >editorial, The New York Times yesterday underlined that the minor's >relatives, which according to Cuba, who still maintain the boy >held in Miami, should "accept that him return to his father in Cuba >if their appeal to the court of Atlanta, Georgia does not favor them. > >SWITZERLAND.- Cuba branded U.S. accusations of alleged human >rights violations a political manipulation to justify its aggression >against the Island. In a speech at the 56th Session of the Human >Rights Commission (HRC) here, Cuban Ambassador, Carlos Amat, affirmed >this accusation is a slander to hide and justify its hostile behavior >against Cuba. Amat stated that although the US compromises the >dignity and independence of other countries, this time Poland and the >Czech Republic, by dictating their presentation of a new resolution >against Cuba, everyone in the United Nations knows who is responsible >for such accusation against the island. > >GENEVA.- Cuban Foreign Affairs Felipe Perez Roque said that he will >denounce here the Cuban child Elian Gonzalez' kidnap in the U.S. and >will combat another resolution Washington is trying to impose against >the island in the UN Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) . In an >exclusive statement in this Swiss city, where he arrived last night >to speak today at the 56th UNHRC Session, Perez Roque emphasized that >the boy's prolonged illegal retention in the U.S. is one of the most >serious human rights violations ever against a minor. He explained >that the Elian's case continues to be delayed in detriment of six- >year old boy's health and mental condition, and in favor of a mafia >group who is keeping him kidnapped in Miami and who want to >prevent his return to his father and his close relatives in Cuba. > >MEXICO CITY.- Cuban leader Jorge Risquet Valdes assured here that >there will not be a restoration of capitalism in Cuba because the >revolution will not be defeated despite US promulgation of laws >reinforcing the economic blockade. The Central Committee member of >the Cuban Communist Party said that amidst the countless difficulties >of the last few years Cuba has managed to stop the economic decline >by adopting measures to restart recovery and find new markets and >commercial partners. During a master class on political systems at >the Mexican Autonomous University Law School, Risquet condemned the >US Helms-Burton Act, which strengthens US economic siege and creates >new sanctions for those who negotiate or invest in Cuba. DPTO. >INFORMACION/MINREX " JC > > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
