>Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit > >Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 27 June 2000 23:00 > > >*CONGRESSIONAL CONDITIONS ON U.S. FOOD AND MEDICINE SALES >*ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION TOPICS >*COLOMBIAN VICE PRESIDENT WRAPS UP SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO CUBA >*HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE PRODUCTION IN CUBA >*FOREIGN FIRMS IN CUBA MAKE "SIGNIFICANT PROFITS" >*COLLOQUIUM ON CUBAN POET ELISEO DIEGO OPENS TOMORROW >*Viewpoint: WILL THE RICH EVER HEED THE PLIGHT OF THE POOR? > > >*CONGRESSIONAL CONDITIONS ON U.S. FOOD AND MEDICINE SALES > >Havana, June 27 (RHC)-- Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon has >affirmed that U.S. congressional conditions placed on lifting restrictions >to sell food and medicine to the island will not affect Washington's >blockade of Cuba. Alarcon was a panelist on Tuesday evening's roundtable >discussion -- broadcast live on Cuban radio and television. He stated that >the new conditions will actually worsen the situation, given that >congressional restrictions will render the measure meaningless and further >tighten the blockade. > >The Cuban parliamentary leader recalled that following five weeks of intense >debate, U.S. Republican congressional leaders reportedly reached an >agreement late Monday night to give a green light to the sale of food and >medicine to Cuba, although denying the island access to U.S. government or >private credits. An amendment attached to an agricultural appropriations >bill in May would have allowed private U.S. financing of food sales to Cuba, >but this would be forbidden under the agreement reached by Republican >leaders. > >Alarcon also pointed out that the appropriations bill has yet to be >approved, so the existing Cuba language can still easily be changed. And >the Cuban parliament president stated that the text of an agreement to allow >the sale of food and medicine to the island does not exist. > >Observers say it is not clear whether the trade provisions would be left in >the agricultural bill or put in another appropriations measure, nor when the >measure would be taken to a vote of the full House and Senate. > >Ricardo Alarcon emphasized that the so-called "softening" of Washington's >blockade is nothing more than a trick to fool public opinion, asserting that >other restrictions still in place will make it virtually impossible to >purchase food and medicine from the United States. > > >*ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION TOPICS > >Havana, June 27 (RHC)-- A roundtable discussion was broadcast live on Cuban >radio and television Tuesday evening. The panel, composed of leading >journalists, included Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon, and >analyzed three topics: the appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court by the >kidnappers of Elian Gonzalez; the Shaka Sankofa execution and its >implications for Black America; and a reported agreement by U.S. >congressional representatives to lift the prohibition on the sale of food >and medicine to Cuba. > >The panel opened with a discussion on the execution of Black death row >prisoner Shaka Sankofa in the state of Texas last Thursday. Arlin >Rodriguez, a journalist for Radio Rebelde, read Sankofa's political >testament in which he reiterated both his innocence and the need for >continued struggle to end capital punishment. The last words of Shaka >Sankofa placed the death penalty within the context of genocide by the >dominant white culture against Blacks in the United States. > >The second issue discussed during the roundtable was the report of a >provision attached to an agricultural appropriations bill in the U.S. >congress -- agreeing to lift the ban on sales of food and medicine to Cuba >by U.S. companies. It was emphasized that the conditions, placed on the >measure by the ultra-right wing on Capitol Hill, actually serve to reinforce >the blockade against the island. According to the agreement, Cuba will be >denied credit from any bank or lending agency and must pay cash for any >goods purchased, yet is prohibited to spend dollars in any transaction with >the U.S. In addition, Cuba can neither trade with nor export products to >the United States. > >The third theme touched upon by roundtable participants was the Elian >Gonzalez case. Panelists reiterated that Elian and his father, Juan Miguel, >continue to wait for a response from the U.S. Supreme Court regarding a >prohibition to leave the country. That prohibition will expire Wednesday at >4 p.m., Washington time, if the Court does not issue an extension. Supreme >Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy is currently reviewing an emergency >interdict, submitted by the lawyers of the kidnappers, which could once >again delay Elian's return to Cuba. > >The roundtable discussion was aired live on Cuban television and the >national radio network, as well as the international shortwave frequencies >of Radio Havana Cuba. > > >*COLOMBIAN VICE PRESIDENT WRAPS UP SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO CUBA > >Havana, June 27 (RHC)-- Colombian Vice President Gustavo Bell Lemus has >wrapped up an official visit to Cuba, characterizing his meeting with Cuban >President Fidel Castro as "interesting and intense." He also expressed his >hope that the Cuban leader will soon visit his country. > >Speaking with reporters in Havana at the end of his five-day visit to Cuba, >the Colombian vice president affirmed that relations between Bogota and >Havana are better than ever, with excellent perspectives for broadening >commercial, educational and cultural exchanges. And the Colombian >government official stated that the main objectives of his visit to Cuba >were fulfilled. > >Referring to the need for regional integration, Colombian Vice President >Bell Lemus emphasized that Latin America must work towards unity in order to >confront the challenges of the contemporary world. > >During his stay on the island, Colombia's vice president met with his Cuban >counterpart, Carlos Lage, and with the Minister of Foreign Trade, Raul de la >Nuez. He was also a special guest at the International Trade Fair >EXPOCARIBE 2000, which was held in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba. > > >*HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE PRODUCTION IN CUBA > >Havana, June 27 (RHC)-- Cuba will begin the production of homeopathic >medicines this year as part of a project partially financed by the European >Union and other international institutions. > >The co-director of the program, Italian Luca Beltrame, said that the project >will extend for three years and will include the construction of a >laboratory in Havana for the production of homeopathic medicines. > >Beltrame stated that homeopathy is non-toxic and inexpensive, without having >to eliminate conventional medicine. > > >*FOREIGN FIRMS IN CUBA MAKE "SIGNIFICANT PROFITS" > >Madrid, June 27 (RHC)-- The Spanish firm "Cuba Business" announced on Monday >that the 13 foreign firms with the most investment on the island obtained >earnings of 40 percent during the first five months of this year. > >According to the Madrid-based company, due to the misinformation that exists >on business in Cuba and following an agreement reached between the United >States and the European Union in relation to the extraterritorial nature of >the Helms-Burton Law, a financial index was created to measure the >development of foreign investment on the island. > > >*COLLOQUIUM ON CUBAN POET ELISEO DIEGO OPENS TOMORROW > >Havana, June 27 (RHC)-- The First National Colloquium on the Life and Work >of Cuban poet Eliseo Diego will be held in Havana on Wednesday and Thursday. >The event will allow writers, language teachers and researchers to exchange >views on the literary contributions of the renowned Cuban poet. > >Work sessions will be held at the Literature and Linguistics Institute of >Havana. The opening ceremony will be presented by Mexico's cultural attachi >in Cuba, Hector Ramirez, followed by a performance by the Escambray Theatre >Group. > >A roundtable is scheduled for Thursday to discuss the popularity of Eliseo's >work among Cuban readers. Three books will be presented during the >colloquium -- two consisting of Eliseo's poetry collections and another >written by his daughter, Josefina. > > >*Viewpoint: WILL THE RICH EVER HEED THE PLIGHT OF THE POOR? > >When political power is not in the hands of the majority -- as it should be >in a true democracy -- prospects for real social development which eliminate >injustices are slim. > >Some might think that on the threshold of the new millenium, scientific >breakthroughs and other technological advances would serve humanity's best >interests. However, what is certain is that the vast majority of poor >people in this world will not see any immediate benefits from recent >technological achievements. > >Some might even contend that those achievements will further strengthen the >old and unjust social system that has caused most of the evil currently >plaguing the human race. > >Today, what people produce is not being used for their own benefit. The end >of the 20th century marks the height of poverty, the lack of education and >health care and other life-threatening problems affecting two-thirds of the >planet's population. > >To top it off, natural resources are being greedily wasted, the air and >water around us are being polluted and damage to the ozone is accelerating >the over-heating of the planet and drastically affecting global climate. All >of these factors led to the First Summit on Social Development, which was >held five years ago in Copenhagen, Denmark. > >At that time, wealthy, industrialized countries pledged to devote a mere 0.7 >percent of their Gross Domestic Product to aid the development of Third >World nations. Leaders from around the world came up with interesting >projects and initiatives for a progressive and balanced social development, >based on experiences accumulated throughout the years and the work of >important international organizations. > >Five years later, however, the promises made by the North remain unfulfilled >and disparities have greatly widened. This dim picture is the backdrop of a >United Nations-sponsored Social Development Summit, currently underway in >Geneva as a follow-up to Copenhagen's first summit in 1995. > >Will there be any progress? Will the rich ever pay attention to the plight >of the poor? Let us hope that rhetoric and double standards will be set >aside and that real progress will be made. If that is not done, economic and >natural laws will eventually correct the course of history. > >(c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. 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